Noah of Memories
by MercenaryCrime
Summary: Lillian is confused when she wakes up in a snowy forest in her summer uniform! But the monster that chased her and the two boys who saved her are the least of her worries when she is introduced into the holy war and a flood of memories of an unknown time seem to haunt her every step... contains coarse language
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: What the…

When I came to, I was laying in something cold and I mean freezing cold like I had been shoved roughly into a refrigerator and left there. I forced my sluggish eyes open and stared at the blinding white substance that flashed into my sore eyes.

'Ugh,' I murmured in disgust as I sat up and rubbed my eyes briskly before focusing on my surroundings and shivered. No wonder I was cold, I found myself sitting in forest that seemed to be in the middle of bloody winter. Where was that warm summery climate back at home, no way was it winter already besides…

I sighed heavily as I stood up and brushed the snow off my bare legs and blazer, goose bumps made my legs shudder as I tried my best to calm my breathing.

_No fucking way, no fucking way…_

I couldn't help the foul language spewing in my mind, how could a sane person take this in.

The last thing I remembered was walking home from school through the park; the day had been lovely and warm and I decided to not get stuck in the car with my older brother, Daniel who seemed to be in his usual foul mood.

I shook my head, relieving my hair of any snow crystals that had begun to melt in contact with my body heat. If I couldn't find something warm to wear soon, I would freeze to death before finding out what the hell is happening to me?

Trudging through the snow, the scenery around me didn't seem to change so much as I grumbled and pulled my school blazer tightly around me, the cold wind easily blow up my skirt as I paused to stop it from flying up to my hips to show my short pants underneath. Not that I didn't mind since no one seemed to be around and I felt foolish for a while before continuing on, praying I was heading in the right direction.

I stopped to catch my breath as I stared through the glare that the snow gaze off as the sun beamed down on it and me with little effect in warming my bare legs. My teeth were chattering now as I braced myself against yet another blast of chilly wind threatened to reveal me to the shadows of the forest.

'Honestly, why couldn't it have been a nice warm beach?' I couldn't help but groan as I hissed when I sank deeper into the snow. It was now up to my knees and goose bumps raced up my thighs again. I bit my lip from shouting anything unladylike as I began to wade through the snow as if it was water.

I hated rotten luck and as I started thinking that nothing could get any worse a sudden blizzard whipped around me sending me airborne.

I screamed in surprise as I landed heavily on the ground, the snow softened my landing much to my annoyance as I glanced up at what I believed had caused it and instinctively froze.

I had to be dreaming for god's sake as I stared up at the monster twice my size that glared back at me with fly-like eyes. Its body was cruelly twisted but it didn't seem to mind as it cocked it large head at me as if it was as surprised to see me as I of it.

I had a bad feeling; a really bad feeling and looking at it didn't make me feel any better. I scrambled to my feet and ran as fast I could through snow before the thing had anytime to react.

'Oi,'

I shuddered but didn't turn around, _oh great it can talk too_; the thought wasn't as pleasant as its appearance as I glanced over my shoulder. Sure enough it seemed to be following me, its thick hard wings I had mistook for spikes were whizzing frantically behind it.

'Get away from me,' I shrieked at it, I felt a mixture of fear and annoyance as the creature chased me. Running through snow is tiring; I have to admit, almost as bad as running through shallow water. I skidded, a shower of snow sprayed over a bush as I turned quickly and narrowly avoided who-knows-what before I felt the ground underneath me feet declining suddenly.

'Shit,' I cursed as I tumbled down the hill and sprawled out in the snow before getting to my feet and glanced up to see if it was still following me. It was unfortunately as it paused to look down at my clumsiness and snickered.

'Hold still you little wrench,' it buzzed at me as I frowned and shook my head before bolting from it again. I could barely hear it curse behind me as it gave chase again. My chest grew tight with each desperate step I made through the snow as I tried to stretch the distance between it and me as far as humanly possible, if I could say that.

But suddenly it seemed luck wasn't with me today as I felt my foot hit something hidden in the snow and I fell forward. Pain shot up from my ankle as I winced and bit my lip as I glared behind me. The monster had caught up as if I had never lost it and grinned evilly, well that's what it looked to me.

'Heheh, die human,' it cried gleefully as I covered my head and screamed.

'Hell's fire,' I heard a voice cried out but made no attempt to look around, what if it was another one of those monsters. I felt the presence of someone land lightly beside me and I suddenly felt safe and… warm?

I backed away in surprise as the person frowned in confusion at me for my sudden reaction. I stared at him as white hair fluttered around his head and curved stubbornly at the ends. Silver eyes stared at my shock with little more than bemusement before glancing behind her.

'Lavi, it isn't alone,' he called out as I flinched at how young his voice sounded despite the whiteness of his hair, taking a closer look now, he was roughly my age.

I shook my head and glared behind me, a redhead with a headband and eye patch quickly twisted away as another creature came out of nowhere. It was nothing like the one that had chased me, it almost looked like a medieval knight with curving horns and a grin that reminded me funnily of a horse.

'Level three,' she heard the white haired boy hiss as he crouched beside her and launched himself into the air. I blinked after him, he wasn't seriously going to fight that thing as I stood up quickly but I gritted my teeth with regret as a sharp pain made me drop back into the snow. I shivered as I felt the snow begin to melt under my skirt.

I couldn't help but watch as the boy's shoulders gleamed and what looked like a white cape fluttered behind him, a large broadsword appeared out of nowhere in his right hand. He slashed at it but the monster, which he called a level three, dodged.

'I-idiot the real one's behind you,' I couldn't help but shout out to him as he seemed to blink in surprise and made a clean swing behind him clipping the monster on one of its twisted horns.

'Thanks,' I heard him call back as I smirked, _so you should be_.

I kept my retort quiet as I watched him landed heavily on the ground before flipping back to avoid a beam of purple energy that looked pretty in my opinion but I could sense the sinister emotions emitting from its unnatural glow.

'Oi, beansprout, it that all the akuma?' a voice called, it sounded childish to me as the redhead reappeared swinging what looked like a long handled hammer in his hand, the other placed firmly on his hip.

The boy he called beansprout, quickly dodged past the level three's attack and cut it cleanly in half with his sword before leaning the sword on his shoulder. I could clearly tell the boy was pissed about the nickname the redhead called him by.

'It's Allen, stupid Lavi,' he retorted back at the redhead called Lavi, avoiding the initial question he asked. I sat on the ground and blinked, I felt kind of anxious about what Lavi had asked before.

'So how many of those things are left?' I couldn't help but mutter aloud, the two flinched as they stared at me as if they had forgotten I was there. I folded my arms across my chest and shuddered, the boy called Lavi was giving me a strange dumb look as his companion sighed hopeless.

'Strike!' the boy called out suddenly as I frowned at him placing my hands on my hips despite the shivers racing up and down my bare legs.

'Strike my ass, I freezing here,' I retorted, I didn't care that my annoyance was clear to them as long as they could help me get to somewhere dry and warm.

'Honestly Lavi, you need to think of others before yourself,' the white head grumbled at Lavi before offering his hand to me, his white cape and sword were nowhere to be seen but I didn't bother about it much as I gratefully took it and steadied myself on my good foot.

'You're hurt?' The white head said and I couldn't quite grasp if it was a question or a statement but decided to nod, either way it didn't matter.

'Yeah, that thing started chasing me and I tripped over something in the snow,' I explained, I liked the gentle grip the white head had when I held his hand, it was warm and soft because of the white glove he wore over it. I couldn't help but feel a tang of jealously at the boys, they both had warm looking clothes on while I had nothing but a blazer, short skirt, white leg warmers and my black shoes. Lavi walked up to us with concern in his eye.

'May I see?' he asked and I nodded slowly.

'As long as you don't try anything funny,' I said dryly as the boy gripped nervously as he gently took my hurt foot in his hand and pushed up the leg warmer. I flinched as he touched the swollen joint, I couldn't believe it was as bad as it had felt, it was bruised a bright mix of purple and blue.

'You did a good job in hurting it miss…' He said with a cluck of his tongue as I frowned at him at his sudden polite speech.

'Lillian,' I said stiffly as the redhead glanced up at me replacing the leg warmer over my ankle.

'Eh?'

'Lillian is my name, Lavi,' I said smugly as he smirked before hulling me up onto his back. I felt shocked at the sudden movement as I almost jerked back and fell onto the ground.

'Right, right, Lily, we need to get you to a hospital,' he as he gripped my thighs as he gave me a piggyback.

'Hey, watch where you put those hands of yours, there fucking cold,' I shouted at him and hit him in the back of his head, the white head laughed and walked on ahead.

'I didn't think you could feel that since you already look cold,' he said as he turned back to smile at me and Lavi, it made me slightly wonder why anyone could smile like that after having to fight one of those… akuma was it?

I shook my head and shrugged.

'Running warmed me up slightly,' I sighed sarcastically as Lavi chuckled.

'You have to watch my back beansprout,' Lavi called to him as the white head paused and glared back at us, I shuddered at the murderous glint in those mercury coloured eyes but was thankful it was mostly for the redhead carrying me.

'Oh shut up, Lavi,' he said as he quickly led the way.

I waved my hands lazily in front of the fire that crackled in the red brick fireplace. Lavi and his white headed friend had taken me to one of the cabins they said was built around here for weary travelers. My injured ankle dangled over the armrest of the chair as Lavi placed a blanket over me.

'Thanks,' I muttered to him as I wrapped it around my shoulders and sank further into the chair. The cabin we had found ourselves in was quite cozy despite being very small holding a table with chairs, a small kitchen in one corner and a roaring fireplace opposite to the door.

Millions of questions raced my head as I tried my best to put it in order from what was most important to what seemed very trivial.

'So um… what's the date today?' I decided to ask because everything didn't seem well… it was difficult to explain as the two boys stared at me. The redhead must have thought I lost the plot but the white head was much more sympathetic.

'The newspaper says today is the 2nd of December 1901,' Lavi answered after getting a painfully nudge from his friend and l laughed, really laughed. Were they serious?

I began to feel uneasy when their eyes began to look at me suspiciously.

'Never mind, where are we?' I continued to ask focusing on the flickering flames in the fireplace to distract me from their stares.

'Hmm, wasn't it somewhere north of London,' the white head's voice answer my questioned as I finally braved myself to look at them. Keeping my face straight despite the nauseating feeling that churned in my stomach.

_London… 1901…_ _Fuck_

That single word kept echoing in my head even if many other things were bouncing around trying to adjust to what was going on around me. I shut my eyes and imagined myself whacking my disorganized head because if I actually did it, the two boys would believe I had suffered concussion as well.

'So what was that back there?' I had to ask that as I opened my eyes to look at the pair. The white head boy glanced at Lavi as if making sure that telling me would be a good move.

'Well you see, we're exorcists, those monsters back there were demons known as akuma,' Lavi said as I blinked at him as if I processing what had given me.

_Them… Exorcists despite us being around the same age…_

'Why were you fighting them?' I felt foolish asking this, why else did they fight them, hello, I was being chased one and it wanted to kill me. The answer seemed too obvious I regretted asking them.

'It's our job, we're chosen apostles of God and our enemy is the Millennium Earl who wants to destroy God,' the white head boy explained ignoring the frown from his redheaded companion as I nodded almost sighing with relief. At least one of them didn't notice how stupid the question was.

'Who's this Millennium Earl?' I felt curious now as I heard the name… it sounded majestic… in an eerie sort of way.

'This big fatso of a guy wearing strange clothes, trust me you'll know him when you see him,' Lavi seemed to joke with a big grin that a clown would when entertaining child. Oh how I despise clowns…

'So Lillian…was it? Why were you wondering around in the snow with nothing but a jacket on?' the white head ask as he looked at me, I shifted in my seat nervously…what do I tell them?

'I kind of got lost, I mean… it was warm when I went out for a walk but then…' I didn't finish despite most of it being true, I still felt as if I was lying to them but it was for good reason. This isn't my time…

'Ah so the weather changing here from hot to cold was true,' Lavi said as he slapped his hand on his knee, I blinked at him in confusion as I tried to stop myself from saying a shocked WHAT?

Lavi seemed to how noticed my expression.

'That's why we're hear, there's innocence in this area causing the weather to change,' he explained further as I recovered temporarily from my shock. Man, did that redhead get to me; I thought they weren't going to buy that half lie.

_Thank you innocence… or whatever you are_

'So what is this innocence?' I found myself asking them as they 'job' started to intrigue me, if only a little.

'Innocence is a god like substance with powers unique to its accommodator, Lavi here is an equip type while I'm a parasitic,' the white head said with a friendly smile on his face in a sort of childish manner as if he was admiring something.

'What's…' The redhead seemed to have understood what I was about to ask as he pulled a small hammer attached to his thigh and twirled it around with his fingers.

'An equip type is when innocence is forcefully given a form of a common object…'

'Such as a hammer,' I offered even though I knew I was being a smart ass as he glared at me briefly.

'… Yes and a parasitic type is when the innocence becomes part of its accommodators body…' Lavi continued on as I noticed his eyes slowly softened from his annoyed glare.

'Such as my arm,' the white head said as he pulled off the glove from his left hand and I could help but stare at it with wide eyes. It was slick and black, jagged at the joints of the fingers but very smooth… very human.

I breathed some words under my mouth.

'Huh?'

'That's so cool,' I exclaimed louder as I almost forgot about my injured ankle when I lunged towards him to have a better look at his arm. The action seemed to have positively shocked the white headed boy making me kind of feel sorry for my actions.

I paused as I sat on the ground and laughed at myself when I realized I had gone and done it again.

'Sorry whenever I see something fascinating I can't help but wanting to get a closer look,' the boys' joined me in the awkward laugh that rippled between us. Before I adjusted the blanket that began to fall off my shoulders.

'I'm coming with you,'

'What?' they both said with their eyes wide as if they had never expected me to say that.

'I want to see this 'innocence' it seems really cool,' they looked at me as if I was a lost case.

'What if more akuma show up?' Lavi asked me as I looked at them.

'Surely it's safer traveling with you two than being left behind here alone,' I muttered in defense as Lavi's green eye flickered to the floorboards.

'She has a point Lavi,' the white head supported me as I beamed a smile at him; happy he knew where I was coming from as the redhead sighed in defeat.

'But Allen, this might not be a good idea,' the redhead stammered, he seemed very unsure about this before I swayed on my good foot as I stood up.

'I could help you know, 'two eyes are better than one'… if you get my drift,' I said with a wink as Allen laughed and Lavi grumbled further still thinking this was a bad idea.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Lavi trudge through the snow, sinking a little deeper than Allen and who could blame him, he was carrying me after all. The white headed exorcist was trailing ahead, I couldn't help but notice how his silver eyes kept scanning the forests as if an akuma would jump out at any moment.

'It's getting hot again,' I whined as I tugged at the collar of my white shirt, they weren't kidding when they told me last night how the weather in this area has been going haywire. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold.

I moaned aloud out of boredom as Lavi glanced back at me and chuckled.

'Nothing but white scenery wherever we go,' he almost sung, which began to piss me off as I stared at Allen, pleading for the white headed boy to help me. But he didn't as he shrugged and continued walking ahead of us.

I stopped myself from groaning, anything to not get a sharp and utterly unnecessary retort from the redhead.

Suddenly a strong gust of hot wind passed us, it was so strong I almost had Lavi fall on me because he lost his footing in the snow. I gave him a good whack on the head as he apologized to me.

'That was strong, I wonder if we're getting close?' Lavi said as he focused on his and Allen mission, the reason as to why they had come to this area. I rolled my eyes but didn't answer him just like Allen and we walked further.

The further we went, the denser it became as I was forced to climb off Lavi's back and have him assist me through the trees. Hopping on one foot was tiring but I didn't mind, at least I didn't have to worry about Lavi losing his footing again before I noticed that Allen had stopped and crouched beside something in the snow.

'This must be where Komui was last contacted by the finders,' Allen said gravely as Lavi and I came to his side and I gasped, hopefully they didn't notice, in fascination though I suppose it was a sorry sight.

A tattered tan-coloured jacket lay have buried in the snow, there was clear evidence of gunshot wounds throughout the jacket but what confused me was that there was no body at all. Just the tattered jacket and other items the finder had left behind.

I watched the redhead crouch beside his friend as he fingered the fabric briefly before standing up again.

'There seems to be a few level ones running around,' he said with seriousness, which surprised me a bit because he looked to me like a fool trying to get attention. Allen nodded in agreement as he too stood up. I stood there leaning against the tree to support my unsteady balance, as I believed the two were in some kind of mourning for the bodiless finder. I felt guilty for my fascination earlier but it wasn't to blame, that was the kind of person I was.

….

Allen gave me his gloved hand as I skillful jumped off a rock and landed awkwardly beside him. I was thankful for the white headed boy's help because the gap wasn't what I was use to as we continued on down into a gully.

'This just keeps going down,' Lavi hummed again his clownish grin was back as his eye glinted playfully. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him and I saw Allen do the same thing.

'Is he always like this?' I couldn't help but ask the white headed boy as he smiled at me, it struck me at how fake his smile seemed but I didn't bother about it.

'Usually he's worse,' Allen replied as he helped me down another drop on the rocky hillside. Sometimes I had to wonder what made me ask to come along as I tried to clamber down further but Allen insisted that he gave me a piggyback down, which I accepted without hesitation. The descent was steeper and the flattest surface were a sickening drop down.

He put me down as he reached the bottom, rather quickly in my opinion and I hobbled off and leaned on the nearest tree to me as we glanced around us. The forest wasn't as dense as it was above us but it certainly carried a sinister aura that made me even shuddered as I gave the boys beside me a queasily look.

'Just like something from a nightmare,' I was careful with my choice of words as they nodded in agreement without looking at me and we continued on by climbing over the trees, which was a welcoming relief to me. That was because I could easily move around without needing help from either Lavi or Allen.

'Seems like a mini storm whipped through here,' Lavi called from somewhere in front of me, I couldn't see him but I presumed that Allen could because I could see him clearly in the dim lighting of the forest because of his unusual white hair.

Like snow…

I chuckled to myself before a chilling wind whipped ferociously past me and I shuddered. The winter weather had returned much to my dismay as I quickly hurried as fast as I could to Allen who had paused because of the sudden drop in temperature.

'I think we're close,' Allen said to me in a low voice, which made me what to laugh at him before I caught his eyes quivering as if he was seeing his worst nightmare unfold while still being wide awake.

'LAVI,' he suddenly shouted as he rushed ahead of me and activated his innocence, the white cloak that was the same colour as his hair.

'Allen… what's wrong?' I tried to call after him but he was unfortunately already out of my sight but then I didn't need him to answer my question as a sudden explosion caused an small earthquake to shake me off the branch I was perched on.

I landed on the ground hard but luckily not on my injured foot before I quickly hurried towards the sound despite knowing that a normal person would turn heels and run. But unlike them I was one leg short of running and my wild curiosity got the better of me as I hopped to the edge of a large clearing that I hadn't noticed from the top of the gully.

I frowned at the strangeness of the clearing before I saw Allen's white cloak flash in the sunshine that barely made its way into the gully. I could clearly tell by his posture that he was on the defense as a white figure different from the akuma I've seen before burst forth from a cloud of smoke.

'Persistent exorcists,' I cried out as Allen raised his broadsword in defense as the white figure, that sort of reminded me of an evil angel and I mean evil, collided into him.

Its appearance looked doll like considering its joints but it looked fairly human with wings sprouting from its back and a strange halo hovering above its head. I could help but shudder as I felt the power literally pour from its being. Then my eyes scanned the clearing for the annoying redhead, which I quickly found engaging a level three akuma.

Hmm… If that's a level three than could that be a level four

I smiled as if I had solved a difficult riddle but than I shook my head feeling like a complete idiot.

I need to worry about Allen and Lavi's safety because if they go, I probably will follow shortly after as I glanced around the clearing remembering what the exorcists had told me at the cabin.

They were here looking for innocence but I was pissed off, how the fuck will I know what it looks like? I whacked my brain and looked for anything that seemed out of place in the clearing other than the akuma busy fighting Allen and Lavi. Then my eyes fell on a funny looking flower that glowed a vibrant purple almost like that beam of energy that dead akuma had produced.

I quickly hopped across the clearing where the flower was, mildly surprised that neither side had noticed the flower nor had they already noticed but got distracted.

'Oi, level three, a girl's trying to make off with the innocence,' I heard a childish voice crackle angrily at the akuma which Lavi was fighting. How did I know? Well it was the only level three there.

I glanced around just as Lavi was roughly thrown into the cliff face and the level three lunged towards me, a purple blade sprouted from its wrist. I reacted by reaching out for the strange flower.

As soon as I did this, the flower began to shine as if it were the sun itself and engulfed me in the blinding light.

I screamed in surprise and pain as I clenched my eyes shut but even that couldn't stop the light from seeping into my eyes.

'_Do you think that opposing me will change anything?' _

I blinked as I voice spoke through the brightness it was dark and menacing and made me cover my ears.

_Huh…_

'_Mistakes are apart of life, neither of us is more perfect than the other,' _

Another voice pierced through my head painfully, it was different if not desperate to mocking voice.

_Stop it!_

'_Hohoh, your preaching is pointless…'_

The menacing voice was fading off as I fell back onto the ground; clutching my head as I throbbing headache overtook it. The light had finally faded but it brought like relief as I barely noticed the level three that was about to launch a beam of energy towards me.

'Lily,' I heard the redhead say if only barely through the pounding that was beginning to piss me off the more it hung around in my head. I pushed myself up from the ground and using my good foot, dived out of the way of the incoming dark energy.

It narrowly missed me as I rolled across the ground trying to avoid any more damage to my sore ankle. Then before I knew it, I had found my back against the cliff face and I couldn't help but go rigid like the cold stone behind me.

'Gotcha stupid girl,' the level three hissed as it aimed a clenched fist right at my head. Moving my head to the side quickly, it smashed its fist into the rock instead of my head but it was close to me, a little too close and the next attack would be my last.

'Get away from her,' a voice called out just as the akuma was preparing to attack me again as an oversized cylinder of some kind smashed into its side, sending it flying. Lavi appeared next to me quickly as I looked up at him with relief even though I felt like hitting him.

'Are you okay?'

'Geez wait another minute will you, my guts were going to decorate the cliff,' I retorted with a growl but the redhead just looked at me as if he was a little hurt by my words.

'Don't be so harsh, Lily,' Lavi said with a smile as he recovered from my backlash a little to quickly for my liking. I rolled my eyes at him before I just remembered about the level three and us being in deep shit.

'Lavi move,' I shrieked at him as I threw my arms around him. This surprised him but he quickly gathered the current situation we had found ourselves in.

'Big hammer, little hammer, extend,' he seemed to chant as we were pulled away from the ground just as the level three shot out that evil energy at us. I squeezed tightly around the redheads shoulders as I felt our bodies slowly drop due to something I recall as gravity.

'You love to take any opportunity to get close to me, huh?' Lavi said as he glanced over his shoulder to look at me. I felt the anger flare in my gut almost nullifying the pain I felt in my head.

'What girl would spend time with a fucking pervert like you?' I shouted at him as I tightened my arms around his neck, threatening to choke him. His hand slapped against my arm as if he understood.

'Fine, fine but you mind letting go,' he gasped as I loosened my grip and I snickered at his words.

'The safest place seems to be beside you, anyway I said I wanted to help,' I said through my snicker as the redhead clucked his tongue as if he was humored by what I said.

'I don't see any innocence, Lily, how are you suppose to help me?'

The tone in his voice sounded more like a challenge than a question as he landed clumsily on the ground because of the extra weight hanging from his back… me.

'Have you ever noticed that the akuma always uses it right hand in every attack?' I couldn't help but ask him as I heard him curse under his breath as he just realized what I had said.

'You smart ass,' he muttered to me with a smirk as he twirled his hand in his hand and prepared for the oncoming attack on the level three.

'Why thank you,' I couldn't help but say as he seemed to relax slightly in my grip and raised the hammer above his head.

'Innocence level 2, activate,'

I stared in confusion and wonder as circle lights appeared around the head of the hammer; each circle contained a symbol that I recognized as kanji. Lavi slammed the face of the hammer into the circle with the kanji for fire before stamping the ground.

'Hell's fire!' he shouted as a large red circle encased us in a wall of flames before it towered above us like a fiery tornado. I couldn't help but be fascinated at the spectacle occurring right in front of me.

Lavi must have caught a glimpse of my admiration of the dancing flames as he chuckled softly and I watched as the tornado began to curve and a flaming snake charged towards the level three.

It was safe to presume that the akuma was caught off guard as it darted out of the way when the head of the snake barged passed it. The level three glared at us standing in the middle of the fire snakes… belly if I could say before trying to shot a ball of energy from its right hand.

As it was about to shoot us, the snake twirled around and lunged towards the akuma from behind, the knight-like creature just managed to dodge it in time but half of its left leg was missing.

'You'll regret that,' it hissed at us, as I couldn't help but chuckle at it.

'_Everyone has their weaknesses, even the strongest amongst us,'_

I blinked suddenly as the voice echoed through my head and I instinctively looked behind me. It sounded as if some one had whispered it straight into my ear but then I grimaced and leaned my throbbing head against Lavi's neck.

'Let's finish this,' Lavi called out suddenly, which I wish he bloody hadn't because it just made the pain in my head worse. I vaguely watched the snake spin back around and snapped at the level three at its side. It screeched in pain before being reduced to ash.

Lavi sighed and the large fire snake disappeared, I let go of his neck and half sat, half collapsed on the ground. I noticed a staggering figure come towards us and almost didn't recognize Allen with the blood that trailed from a nasty cut on his forehead.

'So you got the innocence?' I said as I noticed the purple flower in his hand, he nodded as we all watched the flower dull and shrivel in the palm of his hand. From the dusty remains a cube like substance with a soft glow as I felt strangely calm but then again annoyed at it. It gave me a headache for goodness sake.

'Mission accomplished, let's head back to town and inform Komui,' the red head said as he offered me his hand, which I took nonetheless despite wanting to slap it away.

….

The trip back to town was slow because we were all injured one way or another and they had also insisted that I don't hobble around. I did protest to a fair degree but the throbbing in my head stopped me from actually doing anything. At least I had to be grateful for them to even take me back to town.

Though I have to admit, the town was not how I expected it to be. The streets were wide and covered in snow with wheel and horse tracks scattered over its surface. There were no cars but a horse and carriage was station outside a building, which the two exorcists told me was the hospital.

We checked in and I was taken to a different room so that the nurse could assess my injured ankle. She seemed kind enough with a nineteenth century outfit with a white apron and white hat. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun and made her look much older that what her green eyes gave away.

I heard her cluck her tongue as I sat on the bed.

'You did this pretty well miss,' she said as she gently pressed her finger against the swollen joint. It looked much worse than it did the other day and this made me concerned that I had broken it.

She pressed harder and I shrieked in pain.

'What the bloody hell do you think your doing?' I shouted at her as I withdrew my ankle away from her as she frowned at me wondering if I was serious enough to ask that.

'The joint is rather swollen and it's hard to get a feel of the bones, please bare with it,' she said, she looked like she was about to throw a tantrum because of my selfishness. I pouted my lip and let my injured foot hang over the edge of the bed.

I bit my lip to the point that it could bleed as she pressed her fingers into the purple-blue coloured skin. The pain was excruciating enough that I had to scream those inappropriate words in my head.

She pulled her hand way and grabbed the bandages nearby and wrapped my ankle securely.

'Well I'm surprised but there are no broken bones,' she exclaimed as she stood up and nodded with satisfaction.

'Can I see Lavi and Allen now?' I asked as the nurse as she frowned at me, she looked as if she was considering it but with some concern.

'You can see your companions but I need to get some crutches,' she said but I shook my head and hopped off the bed and balanced on my good foot.

'No need, I have experience in hopping around on one leg, just lead me to them,' I said as I hopped to the door and turned to look at her who looked at me in turn. I could easily tell that she thought I was crazy but who hadn't given me that look before.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

I hobbled up the hallway with the nurse close behind me; I knew she was nervous about me traveling without crutches. Whenever I paused, I felt her fingertips brush against my shoulders.

'Which door was it?' I asked as I paused for what I thought was the thirtieth time. The nurse walked passed me and opened the door to the room where the two exorcists were taken to attend to their wounds.

I hopped in quickly with the nurse close behind; it felt like I had entered right in the middle of their conversation as Allen and Lavi looked at me. They might have been surprised to see me as I hopped over to the spare bed beside Lavi and sat down.

'Look who's hopping about now,' Lavi snickered though I stared at him, wondering what could be funny about jumping around. I liked hopping around; true it was harder but more fun in my opinion.

'I don't like crutches, they restrict my movement,' I said with a shrug of my shoulders, Lavi seemed crestfallen because I hadn't taken his words as a taunt. The nurse quickly excused herself when she decided that she was no longer needed and left the room.

'How's the ankle?' Allen asked from his bed, bandages bound his head and around his right wrist and probably elsewhere if not for the shirt he was wearing.

'Oh this, she says it isn't broken, but the way she confirmed it fucking hurt,' I poked my tongue out in a childish manner as I lifted my injured foot into the air so they could see it.

'No need for such language from a pretty girl,' Lavi seemed to mock me as he leaned his head back against the wall. I glared at him.

'If you want to remain good-looking, you better shut up,' I retorted to him darkly as he pouted his lip and whimpered. Allen laughed; he seemed very amused by what was going on in front of him as I stared at him. That smile of his was slightly pissing me off because it didn't match his silver eyes that quivered like the time the level four showed up.

'Besides…' I turned my head towards the redhead, 'shouldn't you be contacting this Komui person?'

Lavi bolted up and looked like her was about to slap his head as he jumped out of bed.

'I almost forgot,' he cried out as he hurried out of the room, pulling something from the pocket of his uniform. I watched him go and suspected Allen was too as we glanced at each other and laughed.

'He must have been distracted by you,' Allen said as he continued to chuckle. I raised my eyebrow at him wondering what the white head was talking about.

'Remember 'strike',' he said as I vaguely remembered that after they had saved me from the fly-like akuma, the redhead had said strike.

'What was that about?' I asked because I had never experienced that in my life. Allen shrugged like he wasn't so certain himself.

'He thinks you're his type,'

'Oh and what type is that?' I could not hide the sarcasm in my voice as Allen frowned. That convinced me that his friend's tastes in women were a mystery to him as I sighed helplessly and shook my head.

'Allen, Komui said that we have to returned to headquarters tomorrow after we have rested,' Lavi seemed to barge in as we both looked at him and he flinched in the sudden awkwardness of the room.

'Were you two talking about me?' he asked slyly, his single green eye narrowing mischievously. I rolled my eyes at the redhead at if I didn't care if he knew we were talking about him or not.

'Since both of you are here, I'm going with you,' I said with a smile as I felt the eyes fall on me and stared like they were thinking about it.

'But don't you have family who are worried about you?' Allen asked with sadness that filled his mercury eyes as he mentioned the word family as I shrugged casually in response.

'They're both busy working overseas,' half true, 'they wouldn't care if I go to Spain and back before they come home.'

They hadn't caught my tone of sarcasm; it looked as if it flew right over their heads. Lavi jumped over to me and wrapped his arms around me; similar to the way I did to him back in the gully.

'Poor little Lily, her parents don't care about her,' oh how I wanted to hit that redheaded bastard as I pushed him roughly onto the floor while I saw Allen jittered awkwardly at the reaction of his friend.

'Ouch, I'm injured here,' Lavi protested as he rubbed his sore behind before quickly jumping to his feet. His energy reminded me of an annoying rabbit a neighbor of mine once had.

'Well you did deserve it,' Allen said as he scratched the side of his cheek, a wide smile plastered firmly on his face. Lavi stamped his foot on the floorboards in protest.

'You're both mean,' Lavi complained aloud as Allen and I laughed. After we settled down Allen and Lavi looked at me.

'Are you sure you want to come?' Lavi said as he returned to a serious tone as I nodded.

'Yeah,' not like I have anything better to do anyway… I added quietly as Lavi jumped back into his bed and pulled the covers over his legs. He yawned aloud and snuggled down into his bed and quickly fell asleep.

I sweat dropped.

'Is he always like that?' I said as I pointed my finger at the now sleeping redhead, Allen nodded sadly as he settled down in his own bed.

'Get some rest Lillian, good night,' Allen said as he turned over and closed his eyes. I sat there quietly before hopping over to the lights and switching them off and bounced back onto the bed.

I lay there taking in the little silence that was provided in the darkness, that and Lavi's soft snoring and Allen's heavy breathing. They both seemed to be unbothered by the events that happened that day.

Confusion finally settled over my once throbbing my, those voice I had heard when I touched the innocence were beginning to disturb me.

Why did that happen? What were they talking about?

I groaned softly as a light pounding began in my head, just thinking about it was clearly giving me a headache. I turned over in my bed being mindful of my injured ankle and sighed heavily. Soon enough sleep finally found me…

….

I opened my eyes to see myself standing in the middle of a Mediterranean town painted in a pure white. A bright blue sky yawned above my head and several lush green trees were dotted everywhere.

It was startling how empty this town was, the only inhabitants I presumed were the flock of white birds soaring high in the blue sky. It made me wondered what this place was exactly.

Pure white buildings, cobblestone streets lined with many doors and balconies…

I smiled as I felt the peacefulness of the place wash over me like a gentle wave and began to stroll up the street. My foot was no longer hurting but that didn't surprise me because I had already noticed this was a dream.

A very familiar dream…

….

I jolted awake as I felt like my heart was going to be wrenched out of my chest. It took me a while to take in my surrounding but a soft murmuring came from the other side of the room.

'Mana…'

I went rigid as I gazed over at the lump that was in the bed before I remembered where I was and what I was doing here. I was in the hospital and sleeping in the room where Allen and Lavi were recovering in, I felt like a complete idiot for forgetting that.

I took another glance at Allen and came to the grim conclusion that Allen was having some sort of bad dream by the way he shuffled under the covers. I sighed and remembered my dream.

That dream seemed real; too real as I recalled the serenity I had felt while standing there but that was all it was, just a dream.

'Did Allen's sleep talking wake you up?' I almost jumped out of bed of it hadn't been for my injured ankle as I glared at the person who spoke to me. Lavi was awake turning his face towards me.

'Yeah,' that was a lie; my dream seemed to have pushed me out of it, which was beginning to annoy me now as I frowned. Then I shook the thoughts out of my head frantically as I heard a chuckle beside me followed by a deep yawn.

'Get some more sleep, Lily, tomorrows going to get busy,' Lavi said with a cheerful sleepiness and surprised me when he actually fell right back to sleep. I groaned softly at the redhead's sleeping habits and settled down under the covers again.

….

I woke up with someone shaking me as I groggily protested.

'Five more minutes Anna,' I murmured slapping the hand away till a chuckle woke me up completely.

'Anna? Who are you murmuring about Lily?'

Shit, it was Lavi as I mentally slapped myself for thinking I was back at home and getting woken up by Anna, someone who looked after me while my parents were away on business.

'Leave her alone Lavi,' Allen called from his side of the room as he buttoned up his red and black coat that was apart of the exorcist uniform. I sat up in the bed and rubbed my eyes, stifling a yawn.

'What time is it?' I asked as I finished my yawn. Lavi glanced up at a clock that rested on the wall beside the door.

'Quarter to nine,' he said as he pulled on his boots and headband. I grumbled some inaudible words under my breath and swung my legs over the side of the bed.

'After breakfast, I'll talk to Komui about you wanting to come meet him,' Lavi explained as I tied up the lace of my shoe on my good foot and decided to leave the other one off. The swelling seemed worse than it was yesterday and I didn't fancy feeling the pain of it anytime soon.

I stood up on my good foot and bouncing on the spot to get myself ready for some wondering around… or hopping around if it made more sense. Lavi stared at me with his eyebrow raised. This was an odd gesture for someone who only had one eye to use and I raised my eyebrow at him to question him.

'Do you have a problem?' I asked him as he shrugged and went over the white haired exorcist and slapped him on the back. The white head winced in pain before he glared angrily at the redhead.

'Watch it,' he hissed at Lavi but the redhead chuckled as he swung his arm around his friend's shoulders and walked him to the door.

'Where are we going?' I hopped after them as they left the hospital room. Allen looked at me from the other side of Lavi his eyes were twinkling with excitement like stars.

'Getting breakfast,' he said happily as he got out of Lavi's embrace and walked on ahead humming to himself. I smiled after him as Lavi and I followed him into the foyer of the hospital then onto the nearest inn.

We took a seat at one of the booths near the window. I eagerly looked at the menu for anything that seemed edible as I silently admitted that my stomach was growling. But not as loudly as Allen's, which was surprised me and made me laugh.

'Does that always happen in the mornings?' I had to ask as Allen blushed and focused on the waiter who came to take our order. Lavi looked at me with a lazy look in his eye.

'You have no idea…' was the entire redhead wanted to say, leaving me to wonder what he had meant by that as I quickly turned to the waiter.

'I'll have the rye toast with cooked mushrooms, please,' I said remembering my manners and the waiter nodded. Lavi ordered some bacon and eggs and I eagerly waited what Allen was going to eat.

'Let's see…' he seemed to be deep in thought as he scanned the menu, at first it looked to me like the white head couldn't decide what to eat but I found out I was totally wrong.

'Can I have the full course banquet with roast meat and a large siding of vegetables,' my jaw would have literally dropped to the table if it could as I glanced down at his order on my own menu.

He had made an order fit for seven people and I thought my brother was a glutton.

'Are you sure you can eat that much?' I said I didn't hide the shock that was clearly plastered on my face as Allen giggled childishly and nodded. Lavi patted his friend's shoulder as if he was sympathizing with him.

'Since Allen's a parasitic type, he eats way more than a normal human,' Lavi explained and I felt my face relax slightly before I leaned back and sighed.

'I envy you, all that food and no weight gain,' I whimpered softly making Lavi laugh more while Allen blush a deep red.

'T-that's because my body uses more energy that's all,' I could easily tell the white head was flustered as he waved his hands frantically in front of him. I laughed and nodded.

'Don't worry about, I had to guess that much,' said as we all laughed. I stopped slowly and stared at the boys across the table… Exorcists that were my age or around it… At least they don't let death get in the way of them having fun.

After a few moments we got our food and I couldn't help but watch wide-eyed as Allen polished off his food before I could finish my first piece of toast with mushrooms.

'You're just like a black hole, there's no end to it,' I sighed sarcastically making Lavi laugh hard enough to send food from his mouth. I pushed my plate to the side and that the half chewed food land on the table before wiping it away with a napkin.

'Sorry, Lily, but that isn't the first time he has heard that,' Lavi chuffed as I nodded and continued eating and finished just before Lavi. Allen and I waited patiently for Lavi to pay for the food and make another phone call to this 'Komui'.

I frowned as he pulled out that thing he had before and attached it to the phone before making the call.

'Hey, Komui…'

'Aw don't be mean, I forgot to tell you about this girl who's eager to see you…'

There was a slightly paused as I silently fumed, I never mentioned that I wanted to talk to him specifically. I reminded myself later to give him a good whack when he nodded his head.

'Yeah… No, if she was an akuma, Allen's eye would have reacted to her…'

I glanced at Allen briefly and wondered if the red scar that trailed down the white head's pale face was what Lavi was talking about.

'Awesome, see you soon Komui…' Lavi chirped happily as he hung up on the person at the other end and disconnected the flying bat-thing. I could have sworn that Lavi waltz over to us with what I believed was good news.

'Good news, you can come with us,' Lavi cheered aloud and was about to wrap his arms around me before I bonked him on the head with my clenched fist.

'Personal space, please,' I muttered to him as he laughed painfully and rubbed the side of his head. Allen didn't seem to protest to my actions and together we headed out of the inn and towards the train station.

I hopped behind them as I gazed around the station that was completely different from what I was use to. It was… olden, just how an nineteenth century train station should look like I suppose as Allen helped me up a flight of stairs that led to the platform that would take us to headquarters.

Author note:

This is my 3rd chapter.

- The exorcists are wearing the third version of their uniforms, the red and grey/black

- Please reviews and give opinions


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Welcome to the Black Order… I think

The boat pulled up beside a dock in an underground water system, I had to admit it gave the headquarters a mysterious air as Lavi helped me out of the boat while Allen tied the boat to the moorings.

'Welcome to the Black Order,' Lavi said as I twisted around on my good foot taking in the new surroundings with a buzz of excitement.

'I wonder if Lenalee and Miranda are back from their mission yet,' Allen broke in as he walked passed Lavi and me to a flight of stairs that led away from the dock.

'Oh yeah,' Lavi sounded just as excited as Allen when he jogged ahead of me before a loud explosion shook the very foundations of the building. I stumbled back and gripped the railing tightly as the shakes settled down.

'What was that?' I stammered to them as I looked at the boys who were on the ground. Lavi stood up first and brushed the dust off his coat.

'Who knows? Let's just hope that Komui isn't behind it,' Lavi seemed quite concerned that it almost made me laugh as he adjusted the headband on his head and gave Allen a hand.

'Why…?' My word were lost as a long continuous shriek echoed towards us before a young woman with curly brown hair and black rings around her eyes bolted down the stair case. As she flew down the stairs… I mean it, she did… she collided with a shell-shocked Lavi and tumbled onto the ground.

'Lavi, Miranda,' Allen called out suddenly as he began to help the two to their feet. I hopped over to them; I was worried at how suddenly everything seemed to goes from bad to worse.

The woman that Allen called Miranda was kneeling on the ground bowing apologetically at Lavi for running into him.

'I'm so sorry but it's chaos upstairs,' the woman was fretting as the two exorcists tried to calm her down, I was shaking but that was because I was trying to stop myself from laughing.

The woman was clearly older than all of us but was acting so immaturely that it was hard not to see the scene as humorous.

'What happened Miranda?' Allen said as he clasped the edgy woman by her shoulders, trying to settle her.

'Well Lenalee and I just returned from our mission and we went into the medical wing to get I wounds checked on…' Miranda was beginning to sob before another loud explosion rattled around us causing us to stumble about in an effort to keep balanced.

'Then?' Lavi insisted as Miranda continued to shake with anxiety.

'Komui, he made one of those komurins again,' Miranda finally stammered out as Allen made her kneel on the ground. My mind was whirling with curiosity.

What was a komurin? And why was it causing such trauma to the woman?

'Miranda, stay here with Lillian, Lavi and I will deal with Komui's robot,' Allen said as he and Lavi raced up the stairs.

Oh a robot… Hey wait…

'Don't just fucking leave,' I shouted at them as I hopped up the stairs but because I had one leg and they were using two, they were long gone. I hissed in frustration as I hobbled into the empty but damaged hallway.

I glanced and down the hall, the damage was impressive and I was almost convinced that an akuma had done this… but really it was a robot.

How big is this robot anyway?

The giant holes and craters marked its trail as I hopped quickly up one side of the hall. I was being cautious now, I wondering a place that was unfamiliar to me and what was worse was that there was some sort of destructive robot running amok.

I growled at my foolishness, why did I rush into this headfirst again? I scratched my head in defeat and went to turn around when the ground under my foot shudder.

A huge looming shadow appeared at the other end of the whole, it was something with a large rectangular body and six ant-like legs. The mechanical sounds that were emitted from it told me that this was the robot Miranda was talking about.

Shit…

I froze as it came closer as I distinguished its purple and white painted exterior and… a hat! Okay, now I was in deep shit as I quickly pressed my back against the wall, it continued to stomp towards me.

'What are you doing here, Lily?' I heard someone call out to me as I quickly turned to look at Lavi who was standing right in the middle of the hall where the robot could clearly see him.

'Idiot, it'll see you…'

It was too late though as a red glow erupted from its head and stared at Lavi briefly.

'Exorcist… zzzz… Lavi Bookman… zzzz… confirmed…' the robot crackled in a broken monotone as Lavi jerked back in shock and utter fear that if I had been in a better mood, would have laughed at.

'Must… zzzz… capture… Lavi,'

'Ah, Lavi… run,' I quickly hissed at the frozen exorcist as the robot quickly advanced on him. I shuddered hopeless and glided my hand along the wall to steady myself till I felt my hands curl of something.

Glancing at it quickly I noticed a pin holding a chain in place as the chain trailed up towards the ceiling.

That might work…

'On second thoughts… Lavi stay there,' I shouted at him as he shook his head out of his daze and glared at me.

'Why the hell would I do that?'

'Trust me,' I called back as the robot advanced closer. It was already half way up the hall as it quickly approached the redhead. I could clearly tell that he didn't have any trust in me as I curled my fingers securely around the pin, readying myself to pull it out.

I glanced down the hall quickly as the robot was barely a hundred metres away… seventy… fifty…

I yanked the pin out and the chain quickly flew up from its bindings towards the ceiling. At the same time something else was falling… a large chandelier that was held up by the chain came crashing down on top of the robot.

'It's still alive,' I choked back my disbelief as watched the robot try to stand back up but Lavi was quick to respond. He brought out his hand and activated.

'Big hammer, little hammer, grow…'

The head of the hammer enlarged till it was almost the size f the goddamn robot before Lavi brought it down on the robot. It ended its struggling almost instantly before a figure began racing towards us.

I looked at nervously as I noticed the dark menacing glare he was giving Lavi.

'How dare you hurt my dear komurin the fifteenth,' the man called out as his glasses glinted with sadism before he pulled a large drill and electric rod out of nowhere.

Oh Lavi is in for it…

I couldn't help but smirk at the unfortunate redhead as the man in the long white coat, rectangular glasses and hat, which was oddly similar to the robot's hat.

'Dear Lavi, would you mind being my next experiment,' even I shuddered at the childishly evil voice coming from the grown man as he took another step closer to Lavi.

'Enough brother,' another voice intruded before a foot was brought gracefully on the man's head completely knocking him out. A girl stood behind the collapsed man before she looked up from scowling him and smiled at both Lavi and me.

She was a very pretty girl, roughly my age with green hair that brushed over her shoulders. Her purple eyes glinted in welcome as she came up and introduced herself to me.

'Hi I'm Lenalee Lee, I heard that there was someone who wanted to talk to my brother but…' she glanced at the catatonic man on the ground.

'You're going to have to wait for Komui to wake up,' I nodded in agreement as Lavi came over and greeted her by playfully ruffling through her hair. She pouted her lips out angrily at the boy's gesture before I hopped up to them.

'My name's Lillian and don't worry about it, a trip to the medical ward was on my mind anyway,' I said as I stared down at my bandaged ankle and she gasped.

'That looks painful,'

'Yeah it is, don't touch it,' I said as she frowned at me as if she was never thinking of touching it in the first place or the fact that I was hopping all over the place instead of using crutches or something like that.

As I was about to say something else, another figure came running up to us.

'Is everyone alright?' he asked his hair was blond and spiky as he eyed each of us.

'Yes we are Reever but I'm going to take Lillian to the medical ward, do you mind if I leave the rest of you to clean up,' Lenalee asked innocently as the man named Reever groaned and directed Lavi to carry Komui into his office to regain consciousness.

Lenalee came over to me and offered me her shoulder as she led me to the medical ward. I was actually glad she offered because around this time, I was beginning to get tired of hopping everywhere and the sooner my ankle heals the better.

'How'd you do it?' Lenalee asked me suddenly as we passed score of men in tan coats carrying around tools and wooden planks. I knew they were repairing the damage that komurin the thirteenth had done.

'I tripped in the snow,' I simply replied with a smile, the girl was a pleasant change in company but I didn't mind Allen or Lavi either. She seemed to be thinking carefully as we turned a corner and walked up another hall… Well she walked while I hopped.

'You must have been a burden to them during their mission,' I stopped myself from glaring at her, did I hear a tone of annoyance in her voice. I bit back a silent retort.

You fucking…

'No, I actually helped Lavi defeat a level three,' I said with a grin trying to stop the cursing thought from rolling off my tongue. Lenalee looked at me as if she was having a tough time believing me but I just stuck my tongue out when she turned her head to face the nurse that rushed up to us.

'Is anyone else hurt?' she asked ignoring my rudeness to Lenalee and stared at the girl who had bothered to help me at all.

'She is but it wasn't due to komurin,' Lenalee replied as she handed me over to the nurse and hurried out of the room.

'I'll fetch you when Komui wakes up,' she called over her shoulder but I could tell that she wasn't happy about my presence and I couldn't help wonder why.

….

Lenalee came back a few hours later with the news that Komui had finally woke up… note to self – don't angry Lenalee or at least when she's not aware of it.

I was resting on my bed talking to the head nurse who was surprisingly friendly and open despite her snake-like eyes and line lip that made her seem sort of frightful. I turned to Lenalee as she wondered to my bedside.

My ankle had been badly sprained after I had tripped and the nurse was surprised that it wasn't broken at all.

'Komui has woken up,' Lenalee said cheerfully with a smile added for effect as I glanced up at her after I had adjusted the ice pack placed on my swollen joint.

'Why else are you here then?' I couldn't help but retort as she gave me a stern look and placed her hands on her hips. She seemed tempted to say something but thought otherwise.

'Do you want to meet up with him before dinner?' she said still keeping to her polite voice as I glanced at the head nurse beside me.

'If she doesn't mind,' I said quickly as the head nurse chuckled softly and patted my head, a gesture that reminded me much of Anna. I couldn't help but smile at the middle-aged lady before hopping out of bed… literally.

'Do you need help?' Lenalee asked with some concern but I shook my head and hopped quickly to the door.

'Nope, let's go and get this over with,' I said, I was slightly more cheerful with Lenalee now for some reason that I concluded was due to my exhaustion. Lenalee nodded her head and led me to Komui's office.

The first thing I noticed in Komui's office was the paper… the paper were bloody everywhere, on the floor and walls. I tried to keep a straight face as I entered the office. Lenalee left the room quickly while the man wearing the hat and long white coat he had on before he was knocked out, stood beside a desk.

Well what was once a desk were now piles of paper, I observed before taking a seat on the couch that was thankfully spared of the paper.

'I warmly welcome you Lillian to the Black Order Headquarters, I'm Komui Lee the head supervisor here,' Komui greeted me before Lenalee returned with a hot mug of whatever and handed it to her brother.

'If you call an insane robot a 'warm welcome' than I've arrived at a nuthouse,' I couldn't help but say as Komui choked on his hot drink and adjusted his hat nervously.

'Sorry about that, just a routine experiment,' he said as I nodded in agreement.

'Your thirteenth time, was it?'

'We're moving off the subject here, you want to join the Order?' He asked as I nodded to him.

'If it's possible, this place seems very… amusing,' I added but my thoughts were on the voice that spoke in my head after I had touched that piece of innocence. Would I come to understand what that was about by working here? That was a very good question indeed.

'Well considering that you're about fourteen…'

'Sixteen actually,' I corrected him as he coughed his apology to me. I folded my arms in silence waiting for him to continue.

'Even sixteen, there are limited jobs for you to do,' Komui said as I raised my eyebrows at him.

'Yet as an accommodator of innocence, I can join even if I was an infant,' I challenged him with a mocking tone. I watched him as he froze to the spot at my words, it was easy to see that he was trying to think of a way to reply but was left struggling.

'I rest my case,' I simply said to tell him that I wasn't expecting an answer from him if he couldn't come up with one.

'But, judging by your sense of observation and questioning skills, you seem qualified enough to become a finder,' Komui said as his glasses fell slightly down the bridge of his nose.

'Though I like a personalized uniform, your long dreary coat bores me, but I'll put up with the colour,' I sounded like a spoilt brat I'll admit but I will draw the line at the colour because I didn't so much mind it than the design. Komui looked at me like how a loving brother should look at his over demanding sister and I kind of wish he were my brother.

'Deal then, but don't expect your first assignment until that ankle of yours heals,' Komui said as I quickly stood up and balanced on my good leg before giving him a salute in a teasing manner.

'Yes sir,'

'Lenalee, could you take our new member to the cafeteria to have dinner,' Komui said as he disappeared behind the piles of paper on his desk. Lenalee who stood silently by the door nodded and smiled.

'Of course brother,' she said before I followed her out of the office and to the cafeteria, which I discovered was several floors above us the hard way.

I could tell she wasn't happy about something I must have said during the meeting with her brother as I panted heavily after her as I continued to climb the stairs. She was ahead of me and paused every now and then to let me catch up, which was considerate of her though I had a feeling she just wanted to watch me suffer.

When I finally reached the top of the last flight of stairs I was greeted by a rather amused Lavi carrying several thick books in his arms. He was out of his uniform and wearing casual clothes though his innocence was still strapped to his thigh.

'Are you trying to kill yourself Lily? Lenalee should have told you about the elevator we have,' he said as I grinned at him with a tired smile.

'I felt like the exercise,' that bitch…

I kept the last part silent as Lavi frowned suspiciously before shrugging his shoulders and pointed into the cafeteria.

'If you're wondering where the 'sprout is, he's in there,' Lavi said before he hurried off with the pile of books.

'Where's he going?' I asked blankly as Lenalee walked ahead of me and into the cafeteria. I hopped quickly after her.

'He's Bookman's apprentice so he has a lot of reading to do,' she said with a smile that I was starting to hate all over again.

No that was just the exhaustion, I told myself as my eyes fell on a whole pile of empty dishes and a white-headed figure wolfing down another bowl.

'And the black hole strikes again,' I couldn't help but call out to him as Allen paused from eating and glanced over his shoulder to look at Lenalee and me. We walked up to him as he finished his bowl.

'You know that isn't very nice, Lillian,' he said sternly with a slight frown creasing his brow, I was left laughing.

'Says who? But that doesn't matter, Komui has given me the finder position and I'm positively bubbling,' I said excitedly as I sat down beside him, Allen nodded his head before grabbing another bowl of food in front of him.

'You are rather observant,' Allen agreed between mouthfuls of food as I giggled at his lack of manners while he was eating. Being a gentleman didn't excuse his eating habits.

'Yeah and Komui said I'll get my first assignment soon,' I continued to chatter surprising myself at how wonderful the idea was before a dark presence made both Allen and me look behind us.

'That's true but brother will wait until after your ankle has healed but before that let's go get something to eat,' she said with a strained smile as she dragged me to my feet and hurried me towards a window where a man with pink braided hair and an Indian appearance stood.

'What would you like dear?' he asked in a feministic way as I thought for a moment but couldn't get the feeling that Lenalee wanting to grip my shoulders tighter. Then I shrugged my shoulders as if asking her to let go.

'I'll have French onion soup and gratin please,'

Author's note:

Sorry I gave Lenalee a sort of dark side but there's a good reason for this, which you'll find out later on.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

The cafeteria was bustling with chatter amongst the staff of the Black Order. It had been two weeks since I settle in with my own room and having to get my measurements for my uniform by a scientist named… Johnny was it?

The only thing that disappointed me was that I still hadn't a clue about the voices I heard in the gully. Though occasionally, the empty Mediterranean town would appear in my dreams but still nothing else.

Other than that, I was beginning to enjoy my time here though not everything was peachy. Some of the finders felt 'overwhelmed' by Komui's decision about my status as a finder. Many thought that the head supervisor had finally lost it but I had to stand up and say that I had asked for it in the first place.

That still didn't even help my cause and I, much to my despair, had to refrain from threatening them with anything that I could clearly use as a weapon.

Another thing is about the female exorcist, Lenalee Lee; we haven't been on good terms since I arrived. Luckily, she had left on a mission four days ago with Allen who I missed seeing around with the tower of empty dishes beside him in the mornings.

I glanced down at my now empty breakfast, a bubbling excitement rising in my stomach. Now that my ankle had finally healed, Komui wanted to see me in his office to discuss my first mission though he warned me not to expect anything serious.

I stood up quickly and hurried out of the cafeteria barely conscious of the stares cast my way as I headed towards Komui's office downstairs.

As usually the science department was busy with scientist going about their experiments and piles of paper work, which I found out sometimes kept them from sleeping.

'Morning, Lillian, Komui should be in his office,' a familiar blond hair called to me when he looked up from his conversation with a scientist with curly hair and circular glasses.

'Thanks Reever,' I called back as I dodged passed a scientist who came out of nowhere carrying two large boxes. I quickly stepped to his side and helped him balance the load that threatened to tip over.

'Thanks,' the man muttered before hurrying off to wherever he was heading and I shrugged and continued on to my destination.

I opened the door to Komui's office and was greeted by the familiar surrounding of paper that lay on the floor and stuck on the walls. In the middle of the room, Komui stood talking to a man in a long tan coat and instantly knew that he was a finder.

'You called for me, Komui,' I said as I interrupted their conversation as the two men turned to face me. The head supervisor gestured for me to come closer as I did just that, I was itching to get this over and done with.

'I was told that you were given the thumbs up with your ankle,' Komui said as I grinned at him happily and jumped around just to prove that what he heard was right.

'Yep, is this about my first mission?' I couldn't contain my enthusiasm as Komui placed his hands on my shoulders to try to settle my nerves.

'Yes but first, this is Roderick, he'll be overseeing you tuition,' Komui introduced me to the finder. I stared at the man, politely of course. He had a dark, neatly trimmed beard and thick curly hair to match. His appearance oddly reminded me of a tradesman with his broad build and height.

'Hello miss, it's rare to see female finders join our ranks,' I couldn't tell if Roderick had meant to had sarcasm or not so I just stuck with the polite nod and didn't say much else.

'Your first mission isn't very serious but I want you to head out to the border of Germany where we have come across strange activity,' Komui said as he handed the older finder the briefing. I stood on my toes to get a glance of the documents but the man folded his arms quickly and kept a stern glare on the supervisor.

'Yes sir,' he said quickly before turning to me and glanced down at my school uniform that I was still wearing.

'You better get your uniform on and meet me at the docks,' he said as he quickly walked out of the room leaving me with an open mouth. I closed it quickly and put my hands on my hips feeling rather annoyed with him.

'How rude,' I bickered before Komui drew my attention away from the door where the finder had left.

'Here's the uniform you requested,' Komui said handing me the clothes; I smiled at him and bolted from the room before he had a chance to say anything else.

I quickly went into my room and changed into the uniform. It was surprisingly comfortable with tight shorts underneath a short dress-like coat. A thick belt helped divided my waist and bust and I pulled my leg warmers over the ankle high boots.

I twirled around in front of the mirror standing in the corner of my room, I felt quite childish doing so but I was still happy. I rushed out of my room and hurried towards the docks where Roderick was impatiently waiting for me.

I noticed his eyes widen with shock at the design of the uniform and I couldn't help but smirk at him as I slipped by and jumped into the boat.

As I landed in the boat, the small boat rocked almost knocking another finder that was standing at the rear into the water. I ignored the frown Roderick gave to me as he hopped in and the finder pushed off and headed towards our destination.

….

It took several days to reach the border of Germany because our train had been delayed because of a fierce storm that had occurred during the trip and we here held up at a port town until it passed.

I got to know my two companions more.

Roderick was the oldest, about thirty-two years old from a farming town in North America. He had joined the Order ever since a swarm of akuma, which I felt rather sorry for him, destroyed his hometown. Though that would explain his cold-hearted attitude and strong sense of duty.

But he didn't tell me that, the other finder did, his name was Michael from a coastal town in Greece, his dark olive complexion matched well with his dark laughing eyes. He was more open than Roderick and at ease with my presence than the older finder.

His one bad habit though was that he didn't know when to stop talking. I had to politely nod my head while trying to tune out his conversation that was a mixture of English and his native tongue.

The border town was more or less like a farming town than anything else. It contained only a single street of stores and an inn before several residential houses that belonged to the farmers were dotted hundreds of metres apart.

'It doesn't seem very welcoming,' I had to whispered to Michael as I felt the tension that seemed to drift with the villagers that walked around us as we made our way to the inn. Michael nodded in silent agreement but closed his mouth when Roderick glared back at us.

We walked into the inn where we managed to get two rooms; I followed Roderick and Michael up the stairs but couldn't shake the feeling that we were being closely watched. I paused as stared behind me but all I could see was the few people gathered in the foyer of the inn and none of them were looking at us.

'Hurry up Lillian,' I heard Roderick hiss at me as I hurried up the stairs and entered their room where Roderick pulled out a chair and studied the document Komui had given him.

'Here's the briefing, the two of you will explore the town and ask around about anything that concerns of a white object that appears to disturb the flocks at night,' Roderick said to us, I could easily tell he was reading straight from the briefing as his eyes trailed along the lines in a non hesitant sweep.

'It this what brought us here?' I couldn't help but ask but the tension that hung in the room was beginning to kill me. Roderick glanced up from the document.

'That was what chief Komui said anyway, but keep on your toes and avoid attracting any suspicion,' Michael and I nodded before we quickly headed out of the room and out into the middle of the street.

'Man, and I just came back from a mission,' I overheard Michael sigh as I stared at him curiously.

'But isn't that our job?' I said smugly as he chuckled and stretched his hand to ruffle my blue locks.

'No thank you,' I said stiffly as I slapped his hand away as he frowned at me.

'Another time then, you ask around town while I'll travel to the outer farms,' Michael said to me before turning on his heel and wondered off. I stuck my tongue at his back feeling very pissed with my.

Fuck you…

Just because I was a beginner didn't mean I didn't understand what was going on. But I sighed again, I wasn't getting anywhere while standing around dawdling.

I wondered along the street admiring the well-kept wooden buildings. Some had wide framed windows while others had big double doors built at the entrance. The colours were not to extravagant but suited the town quite nicely as I paused outside a candy store and felt my mouth water at the sight of the sweets like a rainbow decorating the inside of the shop.

What are you doing? I couldn't help but slap myself; I hadn't come here to admire the candy though it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy some than continue my investigation.

Upon entering the store, I was hit with the strong smell of cooking sugar as I glanced my eyes greedily over the sweets trying to make up my mind over what ones I should buy. I pulled a small bag of red and white striped sweets off the shelf and headed towards the counter where an old plump-looking lady greeted me.

'Hello dear,' she said to me, her voice cracked with age as I handed over the money and opened the bag and eagerly popped one of the candies into my mouth. I moaned in delight as the flavors of the candy sang in my mouth.

The old woman chuckled at me as I leaned against the counter.

'I was wondering if you've heard of any strange happenings around?' I decided to ask while I was here. I was thinking that if Roderick caught me in the candy shop, I would have a better explanation than buying sweets.

The old woman thought carefully before frowning.

'Why do you ask, dear?'

Again with the dear, but I held my tongue and smiled sweetly.

'I love hearing gossip and strange stories, my grandfather had a skill at spinning tales,' as was I when I watch the old woman's eyes soften at the mentioning of the old man. I knew instantly that she fell for it.

'Well if that's it then this is what I heard from the barber next door; apparently the farmers of this region have been seeing a white object dart amongst their flocks scaring the poor things to death,' I was nodding as I continued to listen to the old woman telling me something I was clearly aware of since I left the inn.

'When exactly was that?' I asked leaning further on the counter but the woman made a shooing gesture as if she hadn't a clue. I had to stop myself from groaning.

'Doesn't matter, nice candy by the way,' I called over my shoulder as I walked out of the shop and headed towards the barbershop, he'll probably have more information.

I looked around the small yet inviting shop with a row of mirrors and chair stationed on one side of the room. In one of the chairs, a man was having his facial hair shaved off by another man with a white apron covering his clothes.

'Excuse me sir,' I called to the man I presumed was the barber who made an acknowledging hum while moving the blade delicately over his clients chin. I made myself comfortable one the seat next to them just as the barber glanced up from his work and rinsed the blade in a basin of what I guessed was lukewarm water.

'Sorry miss, I don't do females,' he said to me before gliding the blade through the foam on his clients face. I waved my hand in front of my face, I already knew this place was a men's hangout in a way.

'I know that, but I came hear because I'm interested in the white object roaming on farm property,' I chose my words carefully this time, the man was completely different from the old woman back in the candy store. He frowned without looking at me and rinsed the foamed up blade in the basin again.

'Yeah, my friend claimed he saw it last night, it was darting amongst his sheep,' the barber growled as he accidentally cut his client's chin as the man shuffled in his chair.

'Please be still sir,' he hissed at his client as I rolled my eyes and swiveled thoughtfully in the chair I was sitting in.

'That must be frustrating,' I muttered with sympathy as the barber nodded before grabbing a towel from the side of the basin and handed it to his client.

'He also told me that he tried to get a good shot at it but it was quick,' the barber put the blade down and wiped his hands on another towel before accepting some money from the man. I frowned thoughtfully.

'Where does your friend live?' I asked curiously but the barber turned to me sternly waving his finger in my face.

'You should keep you nose out of this and get out of this shop, this is for men only,' he said as I rolled my eyes at him and walked out. I didn't want to be in there any longer either.

I pulled the bag of sweets from my pocket and put another one in my mouth. Rolling the sweet around my mouth with my tongue, I thought of my next move. The barber was helpful if not rude as he confirmed what the old woman said.

Now I just needed to find this farmer and maybe have a small stroll in the woods surrounding the farms. For all we know, it could just be an albino carnivore looking for fun.

'Hey give that back,' a voice made me paused and turn around. It seemed to come from a young child before I caught sight of a little confrontation between a group of teenagers and a group of small kids huddling in fear.

'Make me,' the boy with a rough sounding voice demanded as he pushed one of the kids onto their ass. I stormed over to them and stood in front of the children.

'What's going on here?' I demanded the teenager as he blinked at me in surprise like he wasn't expecting anyone to stop him from having his way with the kids.

'Hello, stranger, haven't seen you around here before,' he said as rolled my eyes at his failed attempts to flirt with me.

'Yeah, way off topic, playboy,' I bickered coldly as the boy frowned at me and gave me a light shove. He chuckled as I stumbled back but I stood firm and folded my arms glaring at him.

'Oh, what are you going to do? Glare at me till my skin falls off,' his friends behind him laughed at his apparent joke as I smirked at him and observed my fingernails to tell him that it was cold turkey.

'Shame your father couldn't teach you some better comebacks,' I sighed heavily with sarcasm as his friends behind him whispered.

'Shut up,' he flared at them as they quickly fell silent before returning his stare at me with his finger in my face.

'So the bitch has a tongue, huh?'

'And where would I fucking be without it?' A crowd began to gather around as the boy's eyes narrowed dangerously at me while I just snickered. He opened his mouth, and then shut it before opening it again.

'You think you're so smart,' he tried to taunt me as I rolled my eyes.

'That's because I know I am,' I simply retorted as his friends cracked up behind him and looked as if they were about to collapse. I smiled with slight satisfaction before I felt something grip the bottom of the dress-coat.

I glanced down and noticed the children gather closely behind me, their eyes were glowing with deep admiration as I patted smallest ones head. I gave them a warm smile before a felt a sudden instinct to move.

I shifted my head quickly to the side as I fist scraped passed my cheek before I squinted my eyes.

Oh, so the bastard wants to play rough…

I bent my knees and stomped my heel down as hard as I could on the boy's foot. He reeled back with a hiss of pain before aiming another blow to my head.

I twisted out of the way and slammed my knee straight into his gut and watched him collapse into the ground.

'My brother taught me those things,' I said as I cocked my head to the boy clutching his stomach on the dusty ground. His friends quickly came to his side and helped their friend up. They took him away shouting back inappropriate threats back to me as I just rolled my eyes again with boredom.

'Thanks miss,' the kids said as they trotted up to me on their short legs. I squatted down to look at them at eye-level and smiled.

'No problem, but I don't think I helped that much,' I said bashfully as I felt heat rise up in my cheeks.

'Don't say that miss, we really appreciated it,' they chirped to me making me blush more. I smiled at them again not knowing what else to say as I place my hand on the smallest ones head.

'How about we show you our friend?'

'Friend?' I had to admit, I was caught off guard as I stared curiously at them.

'Yeah our friend, he'll be so happy that you saved us from those bullies,' the oldest of the kids said as I nodded before I remembered what I was actually supposed to do.

'Maybe another time, I have a small errand to do,' I apologized to them as the clung closer to me pouting their lips.

'Please, pretty please,' I groaned as I looked away from their big glittering eyes. Why do they have to have the fucking advantage? Then I sighed with defeat and stared at them.

'Fine then I'll see your friend,' oh how those kids cheered and began to pull me along with them; I couldn't help but glance behind me though.

I could sense a pair of eyes on me from somewhere in the crowd but I couldn't pinpoint exactly where…

Author's note

Yay another chapter complete though it may seem off topic right but I don't think a finder's job is exactly straightforward… or is it.

I decided to give Lillian the finder's status instead of making her an exorcist, seemed to help the plot to this fanfic anyway…


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

I was led down a well-worn track that led away from the street. The undergrowth basically covered it and I wouldn't be surprised if Michael had missed it. Wondering about the finder made me nervous that I was clearly going off track.

'So um… how far it is?' I had to ask as the group of small children made a sudden right turn into a denser part of the forest.

'Not far, many of the adults don't know about it,' one of the children answered as he looked at me with his hazel eyes. Geez, why does it have to be me?

Though the courageous act I had done when I stood against that foul tempered boy and his friend put me in a slightly better mood.

'We're here,' the smallest one chirped and skipped ahead towards a rather rundown… it looked like someone had set a church on fire. I stood still as I stared at the structure with an open mouth.

The walls of the building were charred black while the crucifix that once belong on the roof lay in pieces on the grassy earth. Windows were shattered and stained with ash and streaks of black. I wasn't a religious person but this place gives 'sacred' a whole new meaning.

'How long has it been like this?' I had to ask one of the children as they turned around and smiled innocently. It gave me a feeling that I was going to find out anyway even if I hadn't have asked.

The eldest winked at me before grabbing my hand and pulled me towards the gaping door that looked as if it was about the fall at any moment.

I held my mouth tightly together from saying something rather rude as I ducked under the door and saw the inside of the rundown church. My foot crunched over damp charcoal wood and broken glass as we headed towards the altar.

'Where's this friend of yours,' I asked the kid who was holding my hand and he looked at me and smiled. His index finger was pointing to a crevice underneath the charred stone altar.

I slowly stepped forward and cocked my head as I tried to see through the darkness. At first I didn't see anything except for the inky blackness… that was until I caught a flash of light quickly dart out and straight under my legs.

I reeled back with fright as I collapsed onto the uneven ground and watched the white streak flickering around the room before resting in one of the corners. A deep growl was vibrating from its direction as I my eyes widen with fascination.

'Is that your friend?' I whispered in a low voice as I slowly got to my feet and tried to approach it. The thing… whatever it was dashed away leaving me with an empty yet familiar feeling.

'Please, I won't hurt you but the children insisted that I see you,' I tried pleading with it and to my surprise it understood me. The white streak slowed down before a small four-legged animal stood in front of the altar staring at me with its eyes.

The eyes was what first made me shudder, it wasn't normal. The usual whites of its eyes were black with the irises gleamed I bright golden colour. Its fur was a nice snow white, like Allen's I had to admit but it gave it a mystical look to it.

But what baffled me most was its appearance; it looked like some sort of albino fox. My mouth twitched, as I took as step closer.

Before I knew I had thrown my arms around it and gave it a tight squeeze.

'You're so cute,' what the hell was wrong with me? But I didn't let go, its fur was soft and felt nice brushing against my cheek. The fox stiffened in my arms, it had clearly not expected my reaction as much as I did.

Suddenly a familiar throb began to pound in my head…

….

'_Mellow are the trees that sway to the gentle rhythm of the wind…' _

_I blinked as I stared around me. I lush green forest spread as far as my eyes could see. I gasped at the beauty the place held as I tried to gaze around but my neck refused to move._

'_Below, the crystal waters bubble with purity over the smooth river pebbles…' _

_Hang on, who is that singing? Again my neck refused to turn around as my futile efforts made throw a silent tantrum. _

'_But the sky so innocently blue, holds its vast domain like a grip…'_

….

The vision faded as I blinked myself back to where I was. The fox creature had managed to wriggle out of my loosen grip as I placed my hand on my forehead. Around me the children were staring with worry filled expression.

'Are you okay, miss?' they asked me as I slowly nodded my head but the painful throbbing stubbornly stayed. The smallest wrapped their arms around me as if trying to comfort me but I got the feeling that they were scared.

'You suddenly blanked out, miss,' they said as I weakly smiled before taking a deep breath in.

'I'm sorry I made you worry,' I said as I ruffled the smallest child's hair and slowly stood up. My head was whizzing around now… that vision felt similar to last time in the gully.

If so, that means…

'Your friend here is something known as innocence,' I said in a low yet gentle voice, after all I was dealing with children who had made the fox creature their friend.

The children blinked at me just like I had done to Lavi and Allen when they had first introduced me to the whole concept I had awoken to.

'Innocence? He isn't that, he's our dear friend,' I was afraid of this; the denial was evident in the older kid's voice as I smiled sympathetically at him as if I understood him. I actually didn't have a clue how close these children were to the fox.

'Yes he is but there are others who won't understand this,' I said sitting down and placing the smallest one on my lap. I had to achieve a nurturing tone to these children if they were to ever understand the dangerous situation they had gotten themselves into.

'What do you mean? The adults rarely come here, since they believe its cursed,' the smallest murmured in confusion. I took in a deep breath, I was considering my opinions here but they were all limited.

One was to let them continue along like this until something bad happens or try to explain the situation and ask that they keep away from their friend.

I clearly disliked both ideas.

'There are these monster called akuma and they are searching for innocence,' I saw the children's eyes widen with fear as I mention the words 'monster' and 'akuma'.

'If they discover that you friend is innocence, they will come and destroy him,'

'But we won't let that happen, we can protect him,' the smallest one was pounding her fists against my chest; she was clearly trying to defend their rights to be beside their friend.

'I know this is difficult but you can't. Akuma are immune to everything but innocence and that is why they would destroy it if they knew he was here,' wait… did I just say that.

I hid my surprise from them as they huddled in a group and began to murmur to each other as if trying to contemplate what I had just told them.

Fuck, they're just kids for heaven's sake, I cursed silently as I realized I had burden the young children with adult business.

'What if they don't come?' the oldest seemed to challenge me as I glanced at him with a fed up look.

'Honestly, if I were an akuma and found out that an innocence was hiding here, I'd destroy before it destroys me,' I hissed back at him but then regretted it as the child backed up and they huddled again.

I groaned aloud before standing up.

'I'll take to my comrades back in town while you can think over what I've said,' I said as I brushed the ash from the back of my dress-coat. The oldest looked at me and nodded before I turned on my foot and left the church.

I was trying to figure out the situation here, could it be possible that they… then the bullies were…

I groaned as I paused and placed my head on my throbbing head. I was clearly thinking too much before I made my way back to town just as the sun began to sink in the sky towards the distant hills.

I noticed Michael outside the inn looking around him anxiously like he had lost something. As soon as he saw me though, it disappeared and was replaced with a frown. I was left with a heavy feeling that I was in trouble.

….

'I told you to stay in town,' Michael said to me from the other side of the table. I rolled my eyes at him and folded my arms. It wasn't like I could help it; I was doing my job after all.

'Cool it Michael, shouting at her is just attracting attention,' Roderick grumbled as I smirked at the young finder before he sat down in his seat again.

'Now your report,' Roderick said as Michael hissed something in his native tongue and sighed.

'The farmers were not as cooperative as I'd have hoped, they just kept telling me about they were going to kill the poor bugger if it attacked their ship again,' by the tone of his voice Michael seemed to throw a childish tantrum as I listened as intensively as Roderick.

'Did the farmer's have sons?' I couldn't help but ask him because it had been bothering me since I had returned from the rundown church where the foxy innocence resided in. I was going to leave that detail out until I had told them everything I had found that day.

'Yes, the ones I talked to did… why?' he was leaning on his elbows curiously wondering why I had asked such a question. I leaned forward on my chair and smirked.

'Than I just solved the case,' I said in a mocking tone as the two older finders stared at me with wide eyes. I couldn't help but smile smugly at them as they waited for me to explain.

'Listen, today there was a small fight involving a group of young kids and some teenagers. The teenagers were picking on the little kids so I decided to step in,' I started telling them little detail of the words that I had exchanged with the boy and quickly moved forward.

'Then the young kids asked me to visit there 'friend', which turns out to be the innocence in the form of a fox. In my opinion, those teenagers were the sons of the farmers whose flocks were tormented by the white object,' I finished my conclusion and couldn't hide my amusement that the finder's were giving me. Roderick coughed dryly as he regained his composure first.

'Well I must say, you fill the qualifications quite well,' I smiled at the compliment, the first kind words I had heard from the older finder apart from his grumbling. Michael just whistled and leaned back in his chair.

I folded my arms again and sank into my chair; the reaction I had gotten from them was quite satisfying indeed.

'So it was innocence,' Michael finally said breaking he silence, I nodded quickly before Roderick spoke up.

'We better get it and take it back to headquarters before any of the akuma realize that one's here,' Michael and I murmured with agreement, sooner or later the akuma were bound to find out and it would mean that we stood little chance of retrieving it.

'The only problem are the children, they seem hesitant about letting us take their friend,' I had to put my concerns on the table before the men had a chance to come up with a plan of action.

They both looked at me, Michael sighed heavily and sank more into his chair while Roderick tugged at his beard with irritation.

'That won't be the only problem once the akuma know,' I winced at the harshness of Roderick's words.

Not like I already fucking know that, I said silently while eyeing the older finder patiently waiting for some sort of plan that won't end with the children hating me or worse… them getting killed.

'We have no choice, we have to take it back with us tomorrow,' Michael spoke up as both Roderick and I stared at him flabbergasted.

'Are you an idiot?' Roderick and I shouted at him making the patrons in the room turn to see what the problem was and we both quickly hushed our voice.

'We can't just go in and grab the innocence,' Roderick said sternly to Michael in a low-leveled voice.

'I agree, such activity could attract the akuma, now I wish Allen was with us,' I sighed as I leaned on my hands. I was fully aware of the white head's ability to see the souls of the akuma and without that I wasn't sure if an akuma had overhead everything we just said to each.

'We can't always rely on the exorcists,' I really wanted to hit Michael for that, didn't he learn that akuma couldn't be harmed by any 'normal' means.

'Than you come up with a better plan,' I challenged him as he opened his mouth to speak before a slam on the table made us turn and look at Roderick. The finder's face was turning red from anger as we quickly took our seats.

'Now that I have your attention, did you tell the children of their situation,' Roderick said glaring at me with one eye closed.

'Yes I made them aware of what will happen if the friend stays here,' I said as the older finder nodded and looked at Michael.

'I have to agree with Michael, though, Lillian, the innocence needs to be taken to headquarters as soon as possible,' bastard, I hated him for siding with Michael just because he had more experience than me at this job… Hello, this was my first mission.

'So that's it then,' I grumbled and sank further into my seat not caring at how unladylike my posture was as Roderick nodded grimly.

'I'm afraid so,'

Author's note

Yippee another chapter, and even I'm getting excited for the next chapter…

I also got my first review… Thanks Birdy Chan :D


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven:

I was gazing around the street looking for the familiar frames of the small children I had been talking with yesterday. It was well into the morning with the lunch coming up within an hour or two.

I sighed with frustration and put my hands on my hips, if I couldn't find them, I'd be forced to see if they were at the rundown church. I didn't blame them though, that would be the last night they'd see their friend after all.

'Why me?' I moaned softly as I wondered towards the hidden path, making sure that Michael and Roderick were nowhere in sight.

I quickly made my way through the undergrowth and came within sight of the church where I began picking up sounds… voices and they didn't sound too friendly.

'You're fully aware that this place is out of bounds,' a grown man's voice shouted harshly as I jogged over into the clearing where the children were huddled in front of the broken door. A man towered over them, in a way that I would even shudder if I were in their position.

'B-but we always come here, it's our playground,' the eldest kid dared to say as he lifted his head as confidently as he could under the man's death stare.

'Leave them alone,' I shouted at him as I rushed between him and the children and used my body as a barrier.

'Stay out of this young lady,' he mocked me as I pouted my lip at him as if I begged to differ.

'Not if you're threatening others, especially children, have you no shame,' the words rolled of my tongue just as harshly as I watched his dark eyes flinch. He hadn't expected me to answer back as he struggled with what he could do.

'You aren't their parent,' he growled angrily as I rolled my eyes.

'Neither are you,' I retorted back dryly as the man's frown deepened till I was sure that it was going to be permanently left on his face. The children came closer to me and started to cling to my dress-coat as I placed my hands on two of their heads.

'I will repeat this, no one is allowed here, do I make myself clear,' perfectly I bickered silently as he pointed his finger at the well-worn track.

'Get back to the town this instant,' he ordered the children who quickly bolted away from behind me and disappeared in the undergrowth. The bushes rustled for a bit as the kids drew further away before the man turned back to me.

'And you, if you know what's good for you, you'll leave well enough alone,' I sensed his threat under the levelness of his tone as I rolled my eyes in response.

'Threaten me all you like but I'll be back,' I spat at him as I strolled passed and followed the children back to the open street.

I found them huddled outside the candy store, the youngest was crying in the eldest boy's arms. They were all trying there best to calm her down but to no avail.

My fingers traced over the bag of candy I still had from yesterday and with I sigh I walked up to them.

'That was harsh of him,' said tenderly to them holding out the bag of red and white striped candy. They eyes bulged at the sight of the sweets and looked at me asking if it were okay to take one.

'Hey, come one I want to see you smile again,' I said reassuring them as they placed their small hands into the bag and pulled out a single sweet each and popped it into their mouths.

I giggled as their eyes lit up with pleasure, as I knew that the sweet heavenly treat was singing in their mouths.

'Thanks, miss,' they chanted to me as I smiled warmly at them and glanced at the bag. I secretly cheered as I popped the last candy into my mouth and joined them in the small happiness that enveloped them.

'Did something bad happen?' I asked in a low voice after a few moments of watching the children suck on the candy in their mouths. The eldest gulped nervously while the youngest whimpered.

'We were thinking about what you told us yesterday about our friend being innocence and all,' I nodded, as I was relieved that they had taken the time to think it through since I left them the other day.

'Well, we talked to our friend and he said that he had the same concerns to,' another child spoke up when the eldest hesitated; I bit back a cynical retort and continued to listen with an open mind.

'Really, I'm sure he doesn't want to see you guys get harmed,' I emphasized crouching down till we were all basically at the same level.

'But he disappeared and we haven't seen him at all since last night,' the younger one's tongue seemed to trip over her words as I reached out and pulled her closer to me. I stroked her hair briefly as the little girl burst into tears again.

'I'm sure he didn't mean to disappear,' but I couldn't hide my concern in my voice as a sudden thought came to mind.

'Did you tell anyone about what we talked about yesterday?' I found myself asking and cursing at the same time. I should have fucking told them to keep it a secret if they had.

'We told the old woman who owned the candy store this morning,' the eldest said as I flinched, the boy looked at me nervously as I swallowed hard.

This was turning from bad to worse as I glanced around the street, where on earth would Michael and Roderick be? I couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

Well fuck my intuition, because I was dead on.

A loud explosion pulsed through the air as everyone in the street was knocked to the ground. I quickly stood up and glanced around the street before my eyes fell on the ruins of the inn.

Oh no, I thought in panic as I left the children beside the candy store and rushed over of what little remained of the inn. I called hear people crying out in pain and probably wailing over the dead as I caught a glimpse of a figure limping towards me.

I stepped forward quickly and supported the finder on my shoulder.

'Michael what happened?' said as I brushed the dusty and blood smeared over his olive complexion.

'The son of bitch akuma showed up, Roderick protected me and…' he didn't finish but I didn't need him to as the older man burst into tears on my shoulder. I knew what had happened to Roderick… he was dead.

'I found out that the innocence disappeared and I'm scared that the akuma must have gotten to it, I forgot to remind the children not to speak to anybody about it…' but I stopped as I hurried Michael away from the structure and took cover as a shower of purple bullets showered onto the people in the street.

My ears were filled with the shrieks of pain and fear from the people as they were hit and reduced to dust. Michael was breathing heavily as he stared at the horrific scene with the same wide eyes.

'This isn't good, we have to contact headquarters,' he placed the telephone on the ground and began to dial them number for assistants. But as soon as he placed the headset to his ear, a single shot brushed past my hair and smashed the phone to pieces.

'Shit,' Michael exclaimed as he his eyes caught the sight of a sphere like being hovering in the air.

'What that hell is that?' I shouted as Michael and I stumbled out of the way as it shot randomly at us.

'That's a level one, the weakest form of the akuma but still lethal enough to cause strife amongst us finders,' Michael explained despite being short of breath. We running to a stronger defense… we I was jogging beside Michael who clutched his bleeding shoulder in agony.

My chest began to feel heavy because I had a bad feeling that the finder would either bleed to death or be disintegrated into ash like the unfortunate townspeople. Around us the survivors were screaming heaven and hell as we ran through the chaos in an attempt to lose the akuma.

Michael suddenly jerked me down and a bullet passed over our heads and into the candy shop building.

'Where's the innocence~?' a voice trilled with bloodthirsty excitement as I froze. Out of the smoke, a level two appeared. Its body was that of a humanoid cat and the vicious fangs that spiked out of its jaw gave me an unpleasant feeling.

'What was that you said about us not needing the exorcists?' I teased Michael as he supported himself on my shoulder.

'Oh shut up Lillian,' he muttered angrily to me as I reminded him of last night. I chuckled, since saying that, if was in a better-less-life-threatening mood than I'd like to admit.

'Oh you human's wear to rose cross, tell me where the innocence is,' the akuma sneered at us as I poked my tongue out.

'Too late, the innocence bailed out on us, it's no longer here,' I mocked it but sort of regretted it a second after the words left my mouth. The akuma hissed at us and lunged towards us, I hesitated to move but a rough hand shoved me out of the incoming claws of the akuma.

'Michael!' I heard my voice scream out as I watched the akuma's claws pass through the finders flesh as if it were soft butter. I quickly looked away, not wanting to see the next few seconds as I heard a terrible sound of tearing flesh and shuddered.

My body slammed painfully against the ground as I forced myself to look at the akuma. It seemed slightly pleased with itself as it licked at the red liquid dripping from its claws… blood! I went rigid at the realization of what the liquid was and saw what remained of Michael… just a scattering of flesh and cloth on the dusty ground.

I really wanted the puke but swallowed the unpleasant taste of my stomach's contents and stared fiercely at the level two.

'I love prey with a bit of fire in them,' the akuma crackled with disgusting joy as it lunged at me. Fuck it; with or without innocence, that akuma will pay.

From my position, I rolled to the side as the claws smashed into the ground. I flinched as bits of dirt and rock hit my face, but I ignored it as my hand searched the ground desperately for something.

My fingers found something and wrenched it off the ground and caught the akuma by surprise by slamming it into the side of its head. I stood up and ran away from it while it crouched on the ground in a daze.

My eyes were everywhere but what I was in front of me as my eyes fell on the pile of clothes and ash I instantly recognized as the group of small children I had befriend during my brief stay here.

'No,' my voice constricted in my throat as I knelt beside the tattered remnants of the clothes. It was the sign of the war that was going on without anyone fucking knowing about it and the victims were mainly the innocent and the unaware.

'I fucking hurt you brat,' I heard a familiar voice cursed as I dived out of the way and narrowly avoided the claws of the akuma. It glared at me with narrow eyes as I gritted my teeth angrily.

There was nothing I could do because without an exorcist… and also innocence, akuma cannot be destroyed. I stood up readying myself to run before a felt something brush against my head with a faint clicking of a gun.

'Heheh, finish her off level one,' the level two cracked with glee as I squeezed my eyes shut but instead of the bang of the gun it was a large explosion that rippled passed me with a screen of smoke.

I felt the warm presence of someone… or something as soft fur brushed against my leg. I stretched my hand into the smoke and flinched as something wet nuzzled into the palm of my hand.

….

'_Honestly James, why'd you have to kill the poor thing?' a voice shrilled as I saw a man with a gun standing over a white bundle of fluff covered in crimson. A woman stood next to me, her hair up in a messy bun as she eyed 'James' sternly._

'_It was after the chickens Barbra, what else was I suppose to do?' the man retorted coldly kicking the bundle as I shuddered. Four slender legs flailed out and lay against the straw and blood as I realized what it was. _

'_Well don't spoil it, it'll fetch a pretty penny in the market,' 'Barbra said as she turned on her foot and stormed off, leaving 'James' to clean everything up. _

….

I blinked out of the sudden vision shown to me… was that a memory?

The smoke had finally cleared as I stared at the glistening coat of the once small fox that I had met in the rundown church.

'Oh~ so it decided to show up after all,' the akuma mocked it as the fox's large angular head snapped towards the cat-like akuma and a growl rose deep in its throat. I couldn't help but marvel at the majestic beauty of the creature in front of me as its shoulder reached the top of my waist now.

I moaned softly as I sank to the ground when I finally realized that my head was spinning like crazy after seeing that strange vision before of 'James', 'Barbra' and the white bundle of fur with blood.

No I had to stop thinking about it as I whacked my already painful head to get the disturbing thoughts out of my mind. The fox seemed to notice my distress and nuzzled its wet but surprisingly warm nose against my cheek as if reassuring me.

I glanced up at it, its black and gold eyes danced with pity and even sympathy.

No fair, I wanted to do that but as I opened my mouth to say so, it flicked its head away and growled at the level two before lunged towards it. Multiple tails sprouted from behind it gracing its movements with a mystifying elegance as I did my best to blink away the throbbing pain in my head.

The innocence fox startled the akuma as they fell over in a tangle of grey and white limps. They were lost in cloud of dusty that surrounded them as they tried to get the best of the other. I sat on the ground mesmerized by the fight in fright of me before the fox jumped out of the dust and landed lightly beside me.

I eyed the bleeding scrapes that marred is lovely white coat with worry but the fox grunted as the akuma staggered up and hissed in our faces. But before it could react, the fox summoned a large ball of fire from its jaw and shot it at the akuma.

The akuma flinched as the flames engulfed it and turned it to ashes as it screamed miserably. I sighed heavily with relief but an unsettling silence feel around me and the fox.

Were we the only ones to survive? The thought made me shudder as I dug my fingers into its warm fur and stood up clutching my head with my other hand.

'Maybe we should head to the next town, I bet there are finders there,' I said as I winced through the pain in my head and walked with the fox supporting my wait.

Despite the losses, I still had the duty of a finder to complete, escort the innocence back to headquarters. It was the least I could do to acknowledge the memories of Roderick and Michael.

Author's note

Wah, I feel so terrible in killing off Michael and Roderick but the story must go on.

I wonder if you have guessed about the vision Lillian had and the innocence fox…. **laughing mischievously**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

I continued walking for what seemed to be for ages, it had been three days since I left the ravaged town on the border of Germany and now I had found myself lost in a forest with nothing but a white fox companion.

The fox whimpered beside me as if it had been thinking the same thing as I stopped and took in a deep breath. I tongue and throat was parched from thirst as my stomach began another annoying grumble.

Oh shut up, I told it as I gazed around the forest. There wasn't much undergrowth but the closeness the trees grew together made me a little nervous. I knew I was hardly getting anywhere, no finders and no fucking town in sight.

I had managed to survive by asking for food from the farms I had passed by, the last of which hadn't been since yesterday morning. Then there was the matter of water because I didn't fancy taking a sip of any old stream much to the distress of the innocence fox.

'Where are we now?' I finally moaned aloud, my voice cracked slightly because of my thirst. But of course my only companion happened to be an animal and I had to wonder if I had finally lost it. With that thought, my mood worsens.

Suddenly the fox beside me paused, its ears perked up high on its small head as its black-gold eyes darted around. Its nose sniffed the air before moving again but I noticed its movements were stiff and cautious and decided to also take my time.

The pace was slower than before but I didn't complain because who knew how many akuma could be hiding in the shadows. A snap of a twig drew the attention of the fox and my attention as we both froze before looking at each other.

'What was that?' I whispered to it as it gave a human-like shrug but didn't move. I was tempted to step a little closer till a man stumbled out of the bushes.

I reeled back in shock almost stumbling over the white fox that happened to behind me at the time. The man was wearing rough looking close as I saw his hands grip tightly around the axe he was holding.

'Oh um… hello, you wouldn't happen to come from a village near here?' I asked hoping the stranger who produce something useful as he just stared at me his eyes flickering to something on my chest.

I glanced down but saw nothing but the curve of my chest and the Black Order crest… wait crest?

'If you'll excuse us…' I said to the man as I quickly scooped up the fox much to its barking protest as I bolted away from the man. I wasn't taking any chances whether he was a pervert or an akuma. It was better to run than to be sorry.

I continued running until I was sure that the man hadn't followed me and placed the irritated fox on the ground. It shook its ruffled fur before striding ahead leaving me to recover from my dash.

'Oi, don't be mean,' I called out to it as I hurried to follow it, I hadn't meant to be like that but it was still my job to safely escort it to headquarters. But I wasn't going anywhere until I find a town then search for some finders. The fox glanced over its shoulder and seemed to sigh as it waited for me to catch up.

'Thanks,' I muttered to it before my eyes fell on the bubbling stream that lay close by. Water… I quickly went to it and cupped the cold liquid in my hands before feeling it cascade down my parched throat and quenching that agonizing thirst of mine.

The fox seemed to chuckle in humor at my behavior because days ago I wouldn't have done this. I frowned at it as I slowly confirmed to myself that spending time with an animal was definitely making me lose it.

I was about to let fly a series of complaints at the small animal before I was interrupted by the same man I had ran away from. The white fox bristled before jumping quickly to my side, a growl rising deep in its throat that belonged to a much larger animal.

I grimaced when I understood the creature's reaction towards the man; it confirmed my suspicions that the man was, in fact, an akuma.

The akuma still in its human guise rippled with laughter as it took a heaving step towards me and the fox. I reacted by getting to my feet, readying myself to flee when the opportunity arose but my animal companion had other ideas.

It activated the innocence that was held somewhere in its small body and instantly grew to its monstrous size, the height of my waist with several tails flaring from behind it.

'Hey, you shouldn't do that…' I tried to say but it stubbornly looked back at me and I gave up with a shrug and turned my back to it. After a quick battle and a sickening munch later the fox passed me, licking the crimson blood from its lips as if it enjoyed its meal. I shuddered a followed it as it morphed back into its small form.

'Fuck it all, why there?' a voice rang out around the forest; the fox and I froze as we heard the voice. It wasn't a nice voice to hear in the middle of an eerie forest that seemed to have akuma lurking in about every shadow you came across.

My eyes caught the stare of the fox and we moved forward till I recognized a path, a civilized path well worn from use open up before me. If it were empty I would have fallen on it and thanked whatever divine power was out there helping me. It would have happened if he weren't there.

Just a couple of metres to my left with their back turned to me was someone with long dark blue hair tied up in a high ponytail. Their red and grey uniform seemed very familiar as I felt as if a heavy weight had been taken from my shoulder.

'I'm saved,' I cried out in happiness wrapping my arms around the person's neck. The person was rather startled at having been hugged from behind as they did their best to pry my arms off them.

'Don't be mean, try traveling with no one but a fox and now village in sight for three days,' I protested in a childish way as they finally pulled away. I froze as I saw the blade of a sword held straight at my face.

The fox hissed by my side as the… man, I had found out because of his masculine features… stared at me with cold dark eyes.

'What's a finder doing in the middle of a forest?' the man seemed to demand as I puffed my cheeks and folded my arms over my chest.

'I'd ask the same thing to you too,' I retorted back as the man held his sword in my face as if he suspected me as an akuma. I didn't blame him; I did come out of nowhere and startled him.

'Were you one of the finders sent into this forest?' he continued to ask in that harsh tone of his as I rolled my eyes.

'No I came from a town on the border of Germany, but the fucking place was destroyed by akuma,' I replied as I gave me one final glance and sheathed his sword, which I realized was styled like a Japanese sword…. A katana, I think?

'So why are you here?' he asked again, a little less harshly but his coldness remained. I was left to wonder if he had lost his heart in a deep freezer and almost smirked at the thought.

'I was hoping to find a village than finders so that I could contact headquarters since the telephone we had got destroyed,' I said before I watched him turn on his foot and practically storm off.

'Hey, wait you bastard,' I called after him as I felt some weight on my shoulders and noticed the fox's angular face against mine. It seemed to be eager to follow the exorcist as I ran after him.

The exorcist picked up his pace quickly as if he was trying to lose me; I frowned at his back as I also sped up. I kept him well in sight as he ascended some fallen tree trucks and I followed shortly after, hesitating for only a moment and continued following him.

'Quit following me, idiot,' he hissed at me as I caught up to him, keeping up to him with each stride he took.

'Hah I don't back done from a challenge so easily, pigtail,' he growled as he heard me utter a nickname about his appearance before he halted suddenly. I skidded a metre in front of him and watch him give the surrounding forest a quick scan.

The fox on my shoulder jumped off and growled as I noticed several figures approach us. The man pulled out his sword as I stepped back as I noticed what they were holding… weapons and sharp looking ones at that.

'Calm down… we're just passing through,' I tried to talk to them but they seemed passive to my words as they stepped closer.

'The bastards are just looking for trouble,' I glared at the man that seemed slightly older than mean as I caught sight of a sadistic smirk curling the corners of his lips. But before I could say anything to rebuke him, the figures morphed quickly into several level ones.

I ducked under the swiping blade of an akuma who didn't bother transforming and I quickly knocked the blade away with a swift kick of my foot. The akuma hissed at me before finally transforming. I smirked as I felt a familiar presence come up behind me and sidestepped and let the fox's large body rips through the startled akuma's spherical hide.

I glanced around to see how the man was doing with the akuma that had advanced on us from the other side. I just stood there and raised my eyebrow at him, he seemed like a graceful dancer swirling around with blood flickering off his blade and splattering against his coat and cheek.

He quickly finished off the last akuma and flicked the remnants of blood off his sword before sheathing it again.

'What are you staring at?' he glared at me as I shrugged and placed my hand on the fox's large head before it morphed back into its smaller size. The man stared at it suspiciously but didn't say anything.

'Excuse me…' this felt very awkward indeed as he paused before throwing an annoyed glare over his shoulder.

'What?'

'My name is Lillian, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, this is… Keko, he is also an accommodator of innocence like you are,' the fox stared up at me with an inquisitive stare but didn't sound a protest as the man stared at us as if he had better things to do.

'… I'm Kanda,' he said briefly before continuing down the route he had began. I frowned angrily at him and chased after him.

'Hey, you wouldn't leave a girl alone in the woods by herself?' I whined playfully as he rolled his eyes.

'Since when did girls become finders,' he said dryly as I paused before smirking.

Oh, the bastard was good I had to admit.

'Since I asked,' I retorted back as I caught up to him again. I noticed his brow twitch with irritation as the newly named fox, Keko and me continued to follow him.

'Will you stop following me?' He asked as he span around quickly, his face dangerously close to mine as I took a step back and glared at him. I wasn't going to back down because he seemed to have a foul temper just like a narrow-minded brother back at home.

'Until I contact Komui and give him my report, then I might leave you alone,' I said, stamping my foot for added effected before Kanda whirled around and began to storm off again.

'Fine,' he flared as I smirked at his back.

….

Moments after our conversation, Kanda grew silent again and strolled a few metres ahead as Keko rode on my shoulder again. I stroke its soft snout as it muffled in its apparent slumber around my neck.

I didn't mind the silence from the man with the girly look or Keko wrapped around my neck like a warm scarf. It seemed like hours since my first 'proper' conversation with the stuck up samurai but I wasn't complaining as we finally came within sights of a village.

'Finally,' I sighed with relief as I rushed past Kanda, much to his annoyance and gave the town a quick once over. It was rather silent… too quiet for my opinion as Keko grumbled awake and glanced at his surroundings.

'Seems like a ghost town,' Kanda muttered behind me as I quickly caught sight of some curtains shifting in one of the windows.

'Not exactly, there are people here it seems but they don't want to show themselves,' I said but the only reply I got was a 'che' and that was that as we wondered around town for a bit.

I was continuously ignored as I rapped against doors and tried to get at least a word from one of the inhabitants but nothing.

'Well I've heard of a ghost town but this is ridiculous,' I groaned aloud as I stood beside Kanda.

'No kidding,' he grunted in bitter agreement as I blinked at him but let my surprise slip and continued walking. I looked up at the windows trying to catch a glimpse of and human staring at us from the other side but none and it was beginning to piss me off.

Unfortunately enough, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and bumped straight into a person. We both fell on to the ground with Kanda only grunted one syllable

'Che,'

I frowned at him as I helped the young woman I had bumped into. Her chestnut hair barely brushed her shoulders as she tightened her grip on the shawl around her shoulders.

'I'm so sorry,' I apologized as she stared blankly at me, than at Kanda standing behind me. She hadn't seemed to notice Keko hiding behind my legs as she stared at us in bemusement.

'Don't worry about it, but we don't usually get visitors here,' she muttered in a surprisingly monotone voice. It displayed little emotion except for her clouded confusion.

'But don't you get travelers coming to and from Alfhiem,' Kanda asked suddenly, which surprised me to say the least but he was very rude about it. The girl blinked at him and nodded her head.

'Yes that's correct but I've only just returned to Dankern so I haven't noticed the lack of travelers,' she said after a bit of thought, I heard Keko begin to growl at my feet as I too began to feel that something was off with what she was saying.

'Kanda, I think we should try the…' but the guy decided to ignore me and continued staring at the young woman in front of him with narrow eyes.

'Is that because of the rumours?'

'What rumours?'

'Not like I bother but an old lady told me that travelers who enter this forest never return yet you say you've just returned here,' I could pick up the level of suspicion rising in Kanda's voice as he continued to prove him point… of being an anti-social.

'I haven't heard these rumours since I work in Alfhiem and had come back home for a quick break,' she seemed reasonably calm as if she hadn't noticed Kanda's dark tone.

'Hmm, I see,' he walked passed her without another word as I quickly followed him. I didn't want to be left behind as I began to feel like we shouldn't actually be here at all.

'She seemed some what off,'

'You finally noticed,' he seemed to mock me as my mind flare.

Shit head, I bickered in my mind

'I took note of if while you were having that conversation with her, have your parents ever taught you social skills,' I muttered angrily as he snorted in reply.

'Not like you're any better at it,' he retorted as I silently gave him credit for coming up with that one. But as I opened my mouth to say more, he paused as he glanced ahead. They seemed like they were waiting for us as they held onto the weapons in their hands in a threatening manner.

'So those rumours were true,' I muttered as I glanced behind me and noticed that more figures were covering all our escape options.

'The girl was a distraction it seemed,' Kanda said, his voice was filled with boredom as he pulled the katana free from its sheath. Keko jumped in front of me, his neck fur sticking up as he growled at the approaching figures.

'The forest of no return…' the words seemed to roll off his tongue as he activated the sword-like innocence and Keko became his monstrous form.

'… Is just a haven for akuma,'

Author's note:

Oooh, even I'm excited, sorry if it seemed weird that I bothered giving the fox a name but it just didn't occur to me until then.

This chapter is just an adapted version of one of Kanda's mission during the anime (episode 33 and 34) had to do some research to get the town names right….


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

The figures revealed themselves to be akuma as I glanced around me. We were completely surrounded as a jittered nervously; I felt more of a burden than any assistance standing there beside the samurai and the fox.

'Try something useful and hide,' Kanda hissed at me angrily as he cleaved an incoming bullet in half then jumped into the thick of battle. I bit my lip as I stared at him angrily placing my hands on my hips.

There were hardly any places to hide in the middle of the clearing surrounded by akuma. But I ducked as a level one tried to aim for my head. Keko shifted his head to glare at the akuma and shot a barrel of flames from it mouth like a dragon. The akuma turned to ash immediately but it didn't surprise me much, it was a level one after all.

'Thanks,' I muttered to it as Keko cleared me a path and I hurried to hide on the corner of a building. Damn, I hated feeling so useless watching the two fight the hoard of akuma. I grimly reminded myself that I wasn't an exorcist but a finder and my job was to investigate and confirm the locations of innocence and if possible give aid to the exorcists.

But what the fuck was I supposed to do other than dive for cover?

Kanda dodged swiftly to the side and sliced up three akuma with one swipe of his katana before leaping into the air. I had to dully admit that it was fascinating to watch despite knowing that he was a complete rude ass that needed his manners polished.

I couldn't help but smirk at my description of and in my daze narrowly avoided another bloody bullet from a level one.

_Shit…_

I dived from the corner of the building before it was reduced to dust and a lay on the dirt ground breathing heavily.

Suddenly my eyesight began to blur as a recognizable throbbing began to pounding in my head.

Why out of the times? I glanced around clearly and swayed to my feet but the pain in my head caused my to stumble like a bloody idiot.

A stroke of flames dashed in front of my eyes causing me to freeze. I was thinking that Keko had thoughtlessly sent one of his orbs my way but I barely noticed that he had his flaring tails waving around in my direction.

He couldn't have possible sent it and neither could Kanda for all I knew about him. I rubbed my eyes; I must be imagining things as I realized that my awareness was not what it should be.

'The akuma, they're here!'

I blinked confusedly, where there finally people around, but the shadowy figures I saw running around must have been made from the battle occurring between Kanda and Keko against the akuma.

What was happening to me? I felt myself questioning my state of mind as the town of Dankern was clashing with imagery of flames and screaming shadows who were strangely familiar…

'NO STOP,' I clutched my head as the pain rippled around like a train crashing. The screams that seemed too becoming from deep within my head.

The scene that merged with the town seemed familiar but at the same time unknown to me as I saw a blur of white dart in front of me and whimpered. Then I heard the sudden sound of several things blowing up before I was hurled into the air and crushed hard onto the ground.

'What the fuck is wrong with you?' I heard a gruff voice shout at me angrily but the pain in my head distracted my as I kneeled closer to the ground and moaned in pain.

'Why? Why aren't they showing up?' a small child's plead echoed in my head. My eyes began to sting as I felt the warm tears slide down the side of my face.

Why was I crying? I felt an overwhelming desire to sob aloud but I held it in, no way was I going to cry in front of that bastard.

'What are you praying about, little girl?' a caring yet somewhat mocking voice pierced through the foggy cloud of pain in my head, easing it slightly.

I subconsciously looked up as I saw a blurry figure stand over me. None of his facial features were distinguishable.

'I want this to…' the girl's voice seemed to reply.

'SHUT UP!' I screamed as the figure disappeared and I found myself shouted at a familiar man with a high ponytail. Kanda stumbled back in absolute surprise but in my current state I didn't find it all amusing as darkness claimed me.

….

I came round with a less painful throb in my head as I realized that someone was carrying me. I vaguely noted the stiffness of their grip.

'Where are we?' I mumbled as I tried to lift my head but found that I couldn't move it. The person who was carrying me held a strong flowery scent about them as I saw the dark eyes glance down at me leaning my head on their shoulder.

'About time up woke up,' the man grunted as I recognized the voice of the one and only, Kanda. I grumbled aloud as if telling him I wasn't as happy with this as he was.

I glanced at the ground as a white streak blurred in front of my eyes and I noticed Keko staring up at me. Its black and gold eyes were filled with worry as it continued to trot beside Kanda.

'Can you walk?' Kanda muttered with a little more kindness as I sighed painfully.

'If I could I would,' I growled back as he gave me a 'che' and continued down the forest path. I traced my eyes around the forest, it only struck me then that we were nowhere near Dankern village.

'How…'

'That fox friend of yours helped me finish of the remainder while you were out cold,' Kanda seemed to have read my mind as I grizzled, with my head, as it was I couldn't come up with a smart retort.

'What was that back there?'

I ignored him and began to wonder just that. How the hell was I suppose to know? I've never had headaches as terrible as that before that was before I came in contact with innocence.

But this time, there wasn't any innocence around to trigger the pain and the haunting images drifted into my mind. I shivered at the flames I had jumped at when my imagination went wild… that was what I had hoped anyway.

That vision was like a living dream, it felt familiar… like it actually happened.

Okay, now I think I'm losing it…

I caught Kanda glaring at me and shifted my gaze away from his face; he wasn't exactly the type of company I wanted around me right now. Slowly the trees started to thin out and a town bordered the distant hills.

'Finally,' I moaned with relief while Kanda just grunted and continued on towards Alfhiem.

….

It took a while till the pain in my head decided to leave me alone. Keko was there curled up on the pillow beside me sleeping soundly next to me when I woke up. My shuffling caused the animal to stir and he yawned what I guessed was a 'good morning'.

'Where's Kanda?' I asked him as the fox cocked its head to the side and gazed at the door. I slowly got up and headed down the stairs… I realized that I was in an inn and I caught sight of the grumpy samurai sulking in the corner with a figure in a similar yet different red and grey uniform.

'Morning Kanda,' I called to him but he quickly averted his gaze and 'che'. I sighed, it made me wonder if they guy had actually woken up on the other side of the bed.

'Oi Kanda, don't be mean,' a man sitting across of him seemed to tell Kanda off despite the death stare Kanda gave him. I turned my head to finally acknowledge the man sitting across from Kanda. He had dark eyes and the silliest grin I had seen besides from Lavi.

'Hi, its good to know some else is chirpy this morning,' I made the comment sarcastic and targeted at the silent man with the girly hair. The man across from Kanda just chuckled and leaned back.

'It's good to see you looking better, Lillian, I'm Daisya,' the exorcist introduced to me as I took his out stretched hand and shook it. I was glad that a sword like Kanda's didn't threaten me.

'I'm feeling fine… actually much better than I did before,' I couldn't help but openly complain as Daisya fiddled around with a ball that looked almost like a doorbell.

Suddenly Keko leapt onto my shoulder and nudged its nose as if asking me to introduce him too. I laughed aloud.

'And this is Keko, he's also an exorcist,' I said as Daisya raised his eyebrow with interest at the small albino fox and opened his mouth. He then decided not to say anything and turned to Kanda.

'So back to General Tiedoll… The finders I have contacted with said the old man was heading towards Barcelona,' I tilted my head to the side as I had a feeling that I had missed something while not being in contact with headquarters.

'Um… before you continue, I want to contact headquarters… I need to report to Komui,' I said as both exorcists stared at me before Daisya turned to look at Kanda.

'Give her your golem, mine's kind of been stuffing up over the past few days,' Daisya said as Kanda glared at him with one of his death stares. I was tapping my foot impatiently as I waited for the man to answer.

'Che, fine then, better take care of it,' he seemed to warn me as he handed over his golem and I looked at the bat-like thing with confusion before looking up from it to him.

'How does it work?' Daisya burst into a hard fit of laughter before falling onto the floor and having the entire room stare at us. Kanda seemed more pissed off than amused as he stormed past me and to the phone near the desk. He plugged the golem in and dialed a number before handing it to me.

'Anymore stupid questions you want to ask,' he growled as I took the phone halfheartedly as I smiled.

'If I do, you'll be the first to know,' he 'che' again and went back to the booth where Daisya had finally gotten back into his seat wiping tears from his eyes. Staring at Kanda had only made him laugh harder. I rolled my eyes and held the phone to my ear as the tone rang in my ear.

'Hellloooo, head supervisor, Komui Lee here,' I felt like I was going to burst in happiness in hearing that guy's voice.

'Komui, it's me, Lillian,'

'Lillian... what happened? We feared the worst when some finders reported that the town had been completely wiped of the villagers,' Komui's cheerful tone turned into concern as I just smiled… it was a sad one because he wasn't going to be able to see it.

'Yeah, I know, Michael and Roderick were killed but I managed to obtain the innocence…' I paused as I thought carefully about what I was going to say next. I come straight out and say that Keko was an accommodator and not only that but an animal to boot. What would he think?

His first thought might be that I was losing the plot after having my life threatened… not once… but twice but the akuma and my own insanity, whatever those visions were.

'What is it Lillian? You suddenly went quiet,' Komui asked in confusion as I struggled to find the right words and decided to just be out and done with it.

'The innocence has an accommodator but it is fox that seems to be able to understand human speech… probably thanks to the innocence,' I finished as the other end of the line went silent. I couldn't tell if he was shocked or about to laugh because of the wretched phone in my hand.

'… Are you serious?' he sounded shock, much to my relief; I would have trying to fucking kill him if he had started laughing.

'Yeah but it's strange, from what I've observed over these past few days, it has quite the appetite for akuma,' I laughed queasily at the thought the first time Keko had hunted down an akuma. It made my stomach do some back flips… if that was even possible.

'Hmm… alright where are you know?' Komui asked as I turned to glance over at Kanda and Daisya who seemed to be silently talking to each other again. The conversation looked too one-sided because Daisya was doing all the talking.

'I managed to meet up with exorcist Kanda and Daisya in the town of Alfhiem, Germany,' I said as I heard Komui gag on the other end of the phone. I guessed he must have choked on something as a rough fit of coughs echoed to me from his end to mine.

'Are you okay…?'

'Yes… you say you're with Kanda and Daisya, right? Can you put Kanda on for me?' Komui asked as I nodded… not like he was going to see that… and walked over to the exorcists at the table. Keko was curled up in a ball on the end of the table until he saw me and jumped onto my shoulder.

'Kanda, Komui said he wants to talk to you,' I said as the samurai grumbled and walked over to the phone lying on the counter.

'What is it Komui?'

I sat down in his place as Daisya chuckled softly to himself.

'What?'

'I'm surprised you're not cowering in fear… Kanda's one scary person, you know,' Daisya said as I rolled my eyes.

'Sure he is,' I said sarcastically before Kanda came back to us and seemed to be boiling to the point I swore that I saw steam coming out of his ears.

'Stupid Komui said to let the girl and the animal tag along with us,' he said through gritted teeth as I grumbled aloud.

'I have a name you know and Keko's Keko, remember that,' I snarled and Keko joined me as Kanda just glared back at the both of us. I wondered if Komui was okay with me not going back to the Order as I stood up, ignoring Kanda.

'Shall we get going to Barcelona then?' I said as Daisya stood up too.

'Yep, we better hurry before Kanda wets himself,' Kanda drew his sword without another word and chased Daisya out of the inn with the man laughing at the top of his lungs. I sighed and scratched Keko under the chin, he seemed to purr with my touch as I hurried out after them.

….

**Ahhh… finally finished this chapter, sorry this is kinda late**

**Please review…**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten:

We had been trekking up the coast for a while and I was beginning to get bored of the same blue water stretching as far as I could see the horizon. Keko seemed to be enjoying this as much as I was, clearly he hadn't seen the ocean before like I have but my mood mostly came from the moody samurai next to me.

He was clearly not much of a talker as I had found out long ago and was easily irritated over the simplest things such as his first name, which I found out was Yuu. I was baffled, Yuu didn't seem half as bad name as he made it out to be but I didn't want to persuade him otherwise or I might end up like a pincushion.

Suddenly Kanda paused and held out his hand as if signaling us to stop too. I was about to argue with him when Keko began to growl on my shoulder before leaping off and activating the innocence within him… I'm just guessing to be honest.

A swarm of akuma was upon us before I had time to even jump in surprise as I dived behind a rock while the exorcists and Keko got busy disposing the akuma. It was a long and tedious process because of the ridiculous number of akuma presence, which made me wonder what I had missed while I lost contact with headquarters.

'Damn it brat, move,' I blinked out of my thoughts because of Kanda's harsh voice and jumped out from the cover of the rock as a bullet caused it to explode. I held back the thank you that wanted to escape my throat but the bastard didn't deserve it for all I cared.

Kanda leapt in front of me and sliced the level one that I had been unaware of until he had pointed it out. I frowned as he glared down at me and continued to slaughter the akuma that were unlucky enough to get in his way.

On the other hand, Daisya seemed to be having a blast kicking around his ball like innocence as if it were a soccer ball. Not like I was going to protest because it actually looked kind of fun.

'And he shoots and he scores,' Daisya kept shouting at the top of his lungs every time his innocence ran throw the spherical machines before they ended up exploding. I quickly darted behind another rock as a shower of bullets attempted to hit me. Keko, this time came to my rescue and shot down the akuma with a ball of flames that spewed from his mouth.

'Thanks Keko,' I said gratefully running my hand through his glossy silver fur before he bounded off and tackled an akuma to the ground with a loud growl. The swarm of akuma was finally destroyed after many dodge-run-cover tactics on my behalf as the exorcists gathered beside me looking a little worn out… well Daisya was anyway as Kanda looked as fit as anything to continue attacking akuma.

'Bastards, the lot of them,' Kanda hissed through his teeth as he angrily kicked the carcass of an akuma before we all continued onwards. I had to mildly agree with him because ever since we had crossed the border into Spain, the swarms of akuma had become to numerous to count in my opinion.

This constant ambush of the akuma was starting to get very annoying though Keko seemed to be enjoying this the most out of all three of us. Kanda's mood was constantly darkening due to the harassment of the akuma while Daisya kept talking about flash backs of time like these while he was traveling with General Tiedoll.

I have lost count at how many times Kanda and I had told the chatterbox of a guy to SHUT UP… another thing the samurai and I agreed on.

We fell in silence, I was keeping myself occupied by Keko's sleep filled breathing as he curled around my neck and settled into a blissful sleep. At least someone could rest while the rest of us had to use our feet.

We made camp at a low output just above the waves as they crashed angrily against the rocks; I started a fire with Daisya's help and we all surrounded the cheery outback fire that kept the ocean chill at bay. Kanda sat on a nearby rock and, like usual, ignored that we ever existed while he held his sword in a relaxed yet hurried position… if that made any sense, which it sure did not to me.

'So where are you from?' I hesitated as Daisya spoke up suddenly, I glanced up from the long piece of grass I had managed to get Keko to chase around like an excited kitten. I was nervous but I knew sooner or later someone was going to ask.

'Somewhere in London,' I said quickly before he had time to realize my hesitation as I began to wriggle the end of the grass in the sand causing Keko to chase it. The albino fox barked and pounced on the grass with the same enthusiasm as a cat as Daisya clucked his tongue in interest.

'Where are you from?'

'Mediterranean coast, beautiful place…' I tuned him out, not that I was being rude… all right, I was being rude but the guy doesn't know when to stop and Keko seemed to whimper in angry agreement.

'… Are either of you listening?'

'NO idiot, now shut up,' came Kanda's usual harsh response as I rolled my eyes as Daisya gazed at me pleadingly.

'I'm talked out sorry… good night,' I said quickly before Daisya could protest and lay on the ground beside the fire with Keko curled around my side like a fluffy white pillow.

'You're no fun…' Daisya grizzled, as he seemed to do the same and settled down to sleep.

….

I woke to the lulling crashes of the waves against the rocks below as I stretched my stiff body and hugged Keko's warm body to my chest. His warmth was a welcoming change since the rest of me was utterly freezing. I stood up and brushed the sand from my clothes as I waited for the exorcists to wake up.

Kanda didn't take long to wake up and I thought that he never went to sleep in the first place as Daisya yawned loudly and made it known.

'Morning guys! Ready to get this journey started,' Daisya cheered as I kicked the ashes of the fireplace trying to hide the remnants of the makeshift campsite we had made just in case.

'I thought we already started this journey,' I mumbled under my breath as Keko snickered and Kanda, who I was surprise had managed to overhear me, grunted with agreement.

On and on we went, silently of course unless Daisya had managed to come up with some sort of annoying topic to talk about but I knew he was just as bored as the rest of us but seemed to put to rather annoying uses.

As we passed over the rise of a hill, a scream echoed towards us and Daisya and Kanda were quick to attention as they unrepentantly rushed forward without warning. I ran after them, managing to keep up with their movements before we arrived at the area where the exorcists presumed that the scream had come from.

I scanned the surroundings before my eyes fell upon the tattered garment of a finder and the communication instrument.

'Look…' I pointed out to the exorcists as Kanda quickly pushed passed me much to my protest and analyzed the remains.

'A pack of akuma had past by here not to long ago,' he said grimly as the ash fell threw his fingers. I glared at him and put my hands on my hips… did the guy even show respect for the dead. He definitely was a stoic man, no doubt about it. He moved forward quickly before me and Daisya could say anything before we both followed him over the edge and slid down to the embankment below. Keko sniffed the air using his black wet nose before growling.

'Keko's picked up something,' I felt stupid in saying that since Kanda and Daisya seemed to already figure that out as they slowed their pace and we ended up stalking through the tall reeds as the strong ocean breeze hit me full force.

'Daisya? Kanda? Is that you creeping around?' I jumped at the sound of someone's voice; they had been sitting not far from us as the exorcists stepped out of cover without a second thought.

'Hey Marty, so this is what you're up to,' Daisya said as I stepped out of the reeds with Keko and stared at the large man sitting cross-legged before me. He seemed older than the three of us as he stared at me with unfocused hazy eyes.

'I hear someone else,' he said as he just stared at me with those cloudy eyes of his making me feel rather uncomfortable and wondering why he had said 'hear' instead of 'sees'. Keko jumped off my shoulder and wondered over to the big man and nuzzled his hand that rested on his knee. The man was startled at first but willingly opened his hand and allowed Keko to take in his scent completely.

'I'm Lillian and the fox that's nuzzling your hand is Keko, he's an exorcist like you,' I said, I knew my statement was correct since the man wore the same uniform as Kanda and Daisya. The man thought carefully before shifting his gaze to the horizon though I had a feeling he wasn't staring at that specifically.

'I'm Noise Marie, but we have little time to chat, whole swarms of akuma are flying towards the direction of Barcelona as we speak,' his words sent shivers down my spine as I walked over and gathered Keko into my arms as Kanda grunted.

'Then what the fuck are we waiting for?'

'Same old Kanda,' I taunted as he glared at me before Marie stood up between us and pointed over to where a boat was rocking gently on the water.

'Going by water will ensure that we'll arrive at Barcelona quicker than on foot,' Marie's words were quite insightful that it made me respect the man I had met for the first time, Keko also seemed impressed as his vocals rumbled in his throat. I looked down at him and chuckled.

'Well what are we waiting for, Marie, take the helm,' Kanda said as he rushed towards the boat and jumped on board, I followed with Keko shortly after Marie stood before the steering wheel. Daisya on the other hand was still busy looking off towards the mountains.

'Couldn't we…?'

'Daisya you idiot, hurry up!' I shouted over to him as I let go of Keko so that he could wonder around on the deck of the ship as Kanda cut the ropes that held the boat to shore. Daisya glanced at the departing boat as his eyes widened with shock.

'Oi, wait for me,' Daisya rushed after the departing boat and managed to jump on board, I stared down at the breathing exorcist and giggled. I couldn't help it as Kanda just glared down and che'd… as usual.

Then one thing got me worried as I stared at Marie.

'Can he even see?'

'No, why brat?' Kanda bellowed in a low voice as he leaned against the railing.

'Why did you give him the controls?' I screamed as the boat suddenly sped forward making me stumbling over a coil of ropes and fall flat on my rear. Kanda just snickered at me as I glared up at him… he really could be a jerk that samurai.

….

The sky had grown darker as the sun began to set on the distance horizon, the sun was stained a bloody red as I shivered at what it could mean. I stood at the stern of the boat with the wind rippling through my aqua blue hair, Keko's cold wet nose brushing against my cheek as he too gazed ahead with me. Behind me the exorcists were quiet, to me they seemed as eager as I was to get to Barcelona and hopefully stop the akuma… wait what the fuck am I thinking?

I shook my head as a deep thoughtful drew my attention to the steering wheel of the boat where Marie was looking sightlessly at eh sky, his hand curled around his ear as if listening to the breeze.

'Akuma, I also hear a one-sided battle happening just ahead,' Marie's words made me turn and face the on-coming shore where I saw several explosions light up the sky. I shuddered and placed my hand on Keko and entangled my fingers into his snow-white fur that seemed to glow in the darkness.

'We're too late,' I heard myself squeak pathetically as the exorcists behind me prepared to for battle. I seemed a little nervous, the last time I was in the middle of a battlefield I ended up with the worse headache imaginable.

Keko didn't seem as concerned as I was and quickly transformed into its large monstrous form. It nudged my side and I climbed onto its back in response as I began to make out the spherical shapes of an abundance of level one akuma. I was startled at how many there were crowding in the air zone above Barcelona that I thought it wasn't possible.

'Innocence activate,' the men behind me cried out as they leapt from the boat and began to attack the nearest akuma. I buried my fingers into Keko's soft coat as he leapt off the boat just as it exploded from several purple bullets hitting it. I felt myself weightless before Keko used several akuma as foot holds to jump towards the docks and let loose a barrel of hot flames that engulfed the nearest akuma to us.

Kanda, Daisya and Marie seemed to quickly spread out to start helping the finders as I slid off Keko's back before he stared to fight the akuma still present at the docks.

'Hey miss, thank goodness you're here,' I span around as I stared at the group of men trembling in the shelter of an alcove as I ducked under a bullet and raced over to them. I quickly recognized them as finders as I raised an eyebrow at them.

'What the heck is going on here?' I felt stupid asking the question since the whole place was alive with the sounds of explosions and screams of the other finders.

'We were sent here to guard the General,' I bit my lip to stop a harsh retort from escaping as I slowly nodded before I stumbled forward as the street near me exploded. I collapsed onto the ground and coughed allow.

'How many finders are in this city?'

'There was about two hundred, possibly more but I don't know after this,' one of the finders said weakly as he cowered behind a pile of barrels. I rolled my eyes and grabbed a mechanism thingy at the foot of one of the finders closest to me.

'What's this?' I asked quickly as I turned it over in my hand, it was ridiculously heavy as the finders nervously watched me as I swung it around.

'Watch where you're pointing that!' one of them cried as I blinked before my figures found an interesting looking dial on the side of the mechanism.

'What's this?'

'BEHIND YOU!' I turned at the shout of the person as I turned the dial and a beam of light flashed onto the level one akuma that had appeared out of nowhere and was about to shoot right at us. My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as I tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Soon enough a ball of fire destroyed the akuma within the barrier and Keko appeared in front of us and barked at me something before dodging the attack of a level two. His tails danced around him as he pranced a few jumps away before tackling the akuma to the ground and ripping it to shreds.

'Thanks Keko,' I called to him as he nodded his angular white head and bounded away. I quickly turned back to the finders and frowned at their gaping expressions and put my hands on my hips.

'Hello? If we don't move, we're as good as dead!'

….

**Phew… that took a while but I'm finally happy to present you Chapter 10 please enjoy…**

**Oh right please send in reviews, requests questions and so on I like reading them and it helps stimulate ideas for lots more chapters…. :)**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven:

I raced up the street littered with rubble and the tattered clothes of the dead, it wasn't a pretty sight because one, this was the first time I had ever been in a situation as bad as this and secondly, the fucking akuma were EVERYWHERE!

If I ran this way, I'd have to back track to the fork in the road and head down another path only to turn around again because there were more of them that way. What made matters worse was that the finders, all older men I meant add, practically followed me everywhere and I was not typically the person to hang around. There was a good reason for that, my little migraine was returning as I staggered over a crippled building to seek shelter in the shadows.

The men ducked behind, our group was slightly smaller than before since we had been surprised several times before making it here, sending a few of them to scatter in different directions. The worst scenario was that they were dead. I shuddered at the thought as I sank down the delightfully cold wall and sat on the ground, my throbbing head resting on my knees.

Why did this always happen to me? I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and groggily looked up and saw that one of the finders had noticed my discomfort.

'Is something wrong?' I weakly smiled away at his concerns and continued to focus on blocking the pain; we wouldn't be safe here for long before the akuma would eventually find us. I finally managed to dull the pain and I stood up and took several large steps forward.

Ducking behind a crumbled wall, I noticed that there was still a large number of akuma roaming around despite knowing that there were definitely four exorcists in the area trying their best to rid the place of the vile things.

'What are we going to do?' I almost jumped as the same man came up behind and I forced a frown on my surprised features.

'Not we, lead the men to a secure shelter and wait out until otherwise, I'm going elsewhere,' I said quickly as he frowned now and was about to protest before I roughly shoved him to the side as a bullet destroyed the rest of the wall.

'Just go, I draw its fire,' I shouted at him as I darted out in front of the akuma that had spotted us and fled down towards the end of the street. I skidded and hurried down another street but only attracted more akuma as I basically ran for my bloody life down a street. Geez, what the heck was I thinking, sure it was heroism but I didn't like this one bit.

'Creatures of the netherworld: Ichigen!' I ducked as worm like things snaked towards me and hit the akuma that had followed me. I glanced up from my position on the ground and saw the samurai glaring at me with narrow eyes… my he can be pleasant to see in a time like this despite his hostility.

'Fancy seeing you here,'

'We brought you here idiot,' he scoffed dryly as he flicked his head to the side and che'd, I rolled my eyes, as anti social as always.

'You did save me,'

'You came in handy drawing them here,' I felt my eye twitch when he said this.

'I'm not your fucking bait, pigtail!' I shouted at him an explosion behind me made me stumble forward and almost knock him over. I turned around as he poked me with the helm of his katana and noticed that another swarm of akuma was heading our way.

I laughed nervously as he lunged towards them his sword at the ready. I turned and ran the other way; there was no way I'd be used as bait again by that stubborn samurai. The city was a mess; rubble and fallen streetlamps were literally everywhere, along with the numerous tanned trench coats of many fallen finders. It was worse than a horror film.

I had run into more akuma, there was literally no end to them, and because of this I had to constantly run in random directions to the point that I was sure that I was running around in circles. Folding my arms, I grumbled as many curses that I thought was possible till a loud explosion drew my attention down an alleyway lined with broken windows. The glass was lying everywhere on the cobblestone.

'What?' I stared breathlessly at the scene before me but that didn't stop my damn curiosity from getting the better of me as I hurried towards the direction of the explosion.

'You damn bastard,' the voice caused me to freeze as I finally reached the end of the alleyway. Across from me I saw Daisya hanging from chains on a lamppost, a strange tall man was standing in front of him wearing gentlemanly clothes that seemed to be made from darkness itself.

'Hmm, that was a little too easy, you got me rallied up for no reason…' the man's voice was strong yet rather layback as I clutched my hand into a tight fit. What was I seeing, surely this man wasn't an akuma, and he wasn't in one of those monstrous forms to be one. He seemed… different.

'Whatever your doing just do it' Daisya hissed as I watched the back of the man's head as he raised his hand to Daisya's chest.

'Very persistent, as you wish,'

'NO!' Before I had realized it I had run across the clearing and flung my arms under the man's arms and clasped my hands at the back of his head. I must have caught him by surprise as he staggered back in shock and tried to shake me off. Damnit, he was much taller close up than from my previous position, it left my feet dangling in empty air.

'How the…?' he wasn't happy about the current situation as he turned on his foot and I felt pain ripple through my side as I slammed into the corner of the wall but it didn't deter my grip.

'Daisya, use your innocence an get out of there,' I called back to Daisya who still hanging upside down on the lamppost looking bemused by the situation and quickly did as he was told. I finally lost my grip after that as I felt myself smash badly into the wall of a building.

I winced as I managed to glance up at the man who had finally shaken me off, he wasn't pleased to say the least but that wasn't what made me froze. He didn't seem human, I had thought his complexion was dark not some sort of grey colour as his golden eyes reflected the moon's light that flooded the clearing.

Besides the shock, there was a great deal of confusion in his eyes, I shuddered before Daisya acted quickly and the man jumped away. Daisya landed between the strange man and me his innocence activated and at the ready despite being extremely exhausted.

The man looked ready to attack us if it were not for a rather angry voice shouting from somewhere from the rooftops.

'Daisya!' I smirked as the man retreated quickly into the shadows as Kanda and Marie showed up, I sighed with relief as I stood up to greet them. Kanda, as usual stared at the both of us wondering what had happened with a deep frown creasing his face.

'Good thing you two showed up,' Daisya coughed uneasily collapsing onto his backside on the stony ground. I couldn't help but agree with him, that man was dangerous from all I got from it and I felt rather stupid in getting involved.

'What the fuck, are you talking about?' Kanda hissed as he sheathed mugen and continued to glare at us. I heaved a sigh as I placed my hands on my hips trying to process what was happening. But then a sharp pain struck in my head like lightning as I suddenly staggered causing the exorcists around me to worry slightly, well those with a heart anyway.

'Lillian what's wrong?' that was Marie, despite his blindness he made his way to my side and support me as my head began to spin out of control. It was just like before but now it was as if it was throwing a tantrum.

'I… must have…' that was the last thing I remembered before I blacked out.

….

'_God has forsaken us,' _

What the fuck was going on? It was too dark; I was floating in blackness that was nothing, and nothing at all. What was going on?

'_The devil has won! You hear his laughter…'_

'_Shut up, none of this is helping!'_

There's more than one voice… wait?

'_What do you think, fiend?' _

'_I have nothing to say, your sins are what you should be asking,_'

Something's not right, I tried to cover my ears to stop the voices that were full of anguish but it didn't help, the voices were coming from within my head.

'_Kill me if you think it'll solve your problem! You have nothing, you've abandoned the people who've put their faith in you…'_

'_You wrench…!'_

….

I woke up with a sudden jolt of pain and coldness being rested on my forehead. My jerk had startled Daisya who was sitting beside me looking rather worried along with Marie and an older man with curly straw hair and glasses.

'How are you feeling?' the man said staring at me before pouring me a glass of water and handing it to me. I accepted it gratefully and drain the glass quickly, relishing the cool liquid running down my throat. It helped ease my shuddering and settle my thoughts… maybe not my thoughts…

'Better than before,' I laughed softly though there still was a light throbbing in my head. I just wanted it to go away.

_Was it all a dream…?_

'That's good, I'd like to thank you for saving one of my students, Miss Lillian,' the old man said politely to me, offering his calloused hand. I couldn't help but blink when the realization dawned on me.

'You're that General that Daisya, Kanda and Marie were to find,' I left like an absolute idiot sitting there gaping like a fish but at least the General's stared didn't make the situation as awkward as I had felt it.

He casually sat beside me with a layback sigh and scratched his head.

'Yes, I'm General Froi Tiedoll,' I had never expected to meet a general so soon but I was distracted when Keko pounced onto my lap and began licking my face. I think he was rather relieved that I was okay as I scratched him under his chin.

'It's a pleasure to meet you sir, I just recently joined and such so everything's still new to me… even Keko,' I cuddled the albino fox close to my chest as I finally got the guts to try and stand on my feet. Man, my head was still killing me but lying around wasn't doing me any good.

'Just call me Tiedoll,' I nodded slowly before a voice caught me off guard.

'Lillian!' I glanced down the stairs and saw a familiar white head running up to greet me. It was pretty hard to forget the face of the person who escorted me to the Black Order.

'Allen, long time no see!' I cried out in surprise but my mood plummeted when I saw who was trailing behind him a couple of steps. Lenalee seemed cheerful enough but she still had suspicion flaring in her violet eyes.

'Oh… hi Lenalee, what brings you two to Barcelona?' I asked but she caught my tone of disappointment and seemed to strain a smile.

'Allen and I are trying to find General Cross but unfortunately we are having trouble,' she said as I laughed queasily.

'That must really be tough, I had to travel with a stubborn ass called Kanda,'

'I heard that!' I winced as Kanda shouted at my back but I continued to ignore him and continued to talk with Allen.

'Where to next?'

'Hmm, well we did manage to get a lead taking us somewhere on the border of Tibet,' I thought quietly as I tried to recall my geography skills, they weren't my best but I had a basic idea.

'That's near the Himalayas right?' I guessed with a light cough and stared at Keko who stared back at me with unblinking eyes. He was obviously thinking something but I couldn't talk to animals so I wouldn't be able to find out.

'Yeah, I think so,' Allen wasn't confident but that didn't matter at neither of us was sure as I tilted my head briefly to the side.

'Can I join you?'

'Huh?'

'Come with you, I'm free at the moment, and maybe I can help,' I offered as Allen and Lenalee looked at me in an unsure way that I almost figured that they would say no.

'Of course, as long as no one minds,' I glanced at General Tiedoll, I had been accompanying the exorcists of his group for a while.

'I don't see why not, go have fun,'

'Good riddance,' I heard Kanda grumble under his breath but I ignored him and twirled down a few steps hugging Keko tightly. I was happy, at least I wouldn't be near Kanda anymore… bonus!

….

**Author's Note:**

… **Hmm I think I'll end it there for now… geez I had to look back over previous chapters to write this since I'm writing three different stories, I get confused easily… any way, I hope you enjoy this and please send in reviews… :) **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve:

It had been a while since we left Spain, traveling with Allen again was great but I had to leave Keko behind with General Tiedoll who promised to look after the albino fox. Keko seemed as equally sad as I was that I was leaving him there but the General seemed like a good person so we both didn't complain.

Talking with Allen was a slight distraction from that loss; we had a lot to talk about. He talked about meeting an old friend of his he called Mother and Baba then he talked of his adventure with a kid named Archie back at a port town that was terrorized by a ship-shaped akuma.

I listened intently to it all, I was relieved to finally be away from that sulking samurai I wouldn't be surprised if he was equally happy to be rid of me. Not like he'd show it… the shit head.

My only problem was Lenalee, she seemed rather anger that I had intruded on their expedition but she didn't complain… yet. I had a feeling she didn't like me one bit, especially back at headquarters. It bothered me because all I wanted was to try and be friendly with her.

Any of my attempts to be open ended in her giving me the cold shoulder and striking up a random conversation with Allen. Allen, I had realized was a complete thick head, he didn't even notice that anything was wrong and just laughed whenever we didn't get along. Maybe it was because he didn't get girls but I was too well notified that Lenalee was threatened by my presence.

I had seen it all too often at school, because of my unusual hair color guys would often hang around me and this ended up with me being on the receiving end of the other girls' retorts and bitching.

I sighed helplessly, my last attempt made Lenalee furious and she had been ignoring me for a whole bloody week. I asked Allen about it but he seemed to… as usual… barely notice the friction between us. But he did suggest that I apologize for what ever wrong I had done against her.

I had to admit as clueless as he was, he was kind of right. Maybe an apology might get Lenalee talking to me again and as we stopped off at a train station to wait for Lavi and Bookman to meet with us I had finally had the guts to bloody confront her.

Luckily, Allen went off in search of a food stall like the glutton he is. I stared uneasily at Lenalee as she continued to give me the silent treatment.

'Um… Lenalee?' She glared at me… well that was an improvement I suppose… she did finally look at me.

'I'm sorry!' I said quickly as I bowed my head waiting for her to storm off but to my surprise she didn't… huh?

I dared a glance up and noticed that she was staring at me with shock and confusion, it made me feel really awkward since even I didn't know why I was apologizing. Then she laughed… laughed! I blushed deeply not knowing what else to do, this was the first time I had been in this situation before. At school, I was clearly aware of why the girls hated me but Lenalee was different… I think?

'Why are you apologizing for?' she couldn't stop laughing as I seemed to smile in slight relief.

'Because over these past few weeks you've been acting like I've done something wrong, all I wanted was to get to know you better,' I stammered nervously, it wasn't easy telling her exactly what was on my mind but it was an improvement as her expression softened after she had recovered from laughing and she looked at me solemnly.

'I'm sorry, but… you seem to be… close to Allen…' I blinked… huh?

'We're friends Lenalee just like how I want to be friends with you, I don't know why but can't we… please!' she seemed to be thinking about it carefully, know she was feeling the awkwardness of the moment as a blush started to spread across her cheeks.

'Oh… um… okay, I'm sorry I must have gotten the wrong idea,' I frowned at her but didn't press the matter further as we shook hands both of us smiling like we meant it. Once we had done this, the train pulled in and two people walked out, I recognized redheaded idiot immediately along with a short aged man… I wasn't going to call me old by the way he looked at me as if wondering why I was there.

'I had heard from Komui that there was a finder but I hadn't expected it to be… a young girl,' I guessed he was Bookman and I smiled, taking his words as a compliment rather than an insult before glancing behind me.

'I wonder where Allen is?' I asked as the other's looked at me as Lenalee, too realized he hadn't returned from the food stall… honestly it couldn't take that long to find one as I turned on my foot.

'I'll find him!' I called and didn't wait for an answer as I hurried off into town to try and find him. I paused briefly when I heard that someone happened to be following me. I glanced over my shoulder and bit back a growl when I noticed Lavi… why the heck did he have to follow me?

'Gramps wants us to hurry up or we'll miss this train,' Lavi explained as I shrugged my shoulders and ignored him as we continued to search the streets but we still couldn't find him. How hard could it be losing a white headed boy about so tall and a scar over his eye? Fucking hell!

Lavi seemed to be having the same thoughts as we paused as a man walked up to us.

'Hello strangers, what might you be looking for?'

'We're actually looking for a friend of ours, he has white hair, scar over his eye and a uniform similar to mine,' Lavi explained as I watched the man eye Lavi and my uniform carefully, I was being conscious about exactly what he was looking at before he stared up.

'You wouldn't happen to be black priests too?'

'Black…?' I cocked my head to the side, what the heck, was this man talking about as he suddenly ran off away from us and I looked at Lavi who looked at me in just as much confusion. He circled his finger near his temple and I giggled, Lavi was right the man was bonkers!

We had to suddenly change our opinion though when a group of men wearing black and carrying pitchforks and torches suddenly swamped us. It looked to me like some sort of hunting party as both Lavi and me were dragged away and tied up beside and equally baffled Allen.

'Hey beansprout,' Lavi called to the white head cheerfully as Allen glared at him.

'It's Allen!'

'Anyhow, why are we here?' Lavi asked I was impressed by the way he got to the point suddenly as I watched Allen glance nervously at the men around us. I almost jumped out of my seat if it weren't for the ropes as they suddenly bowed down on their knees.

Shit!

'Please Black Priests, we need your help,' the man Lavi and I had spoken to said as he lifted his head and stared at us with pleading eyes. I have to admit, the pleading look didn't suit him one bit.

'Why? Got a monster problem?' I regretted saying that as the man stared at me like death at my door as if dramatically agreeing with me.

'Fuck, distance please!' I shoved him back with my boot as he tumbled onto the floor and apologized.

'I'm sorry but we do… by the name of Count Alystar Krowry*,' the man explained as a shiver ran down my spine… what was going on here?

'What's wrong with this guy?' Lavi decided to ask as the man did the same thing to him as he did to me that death-at-my-door stare.

'He's a vampire, dear priests, we need your help getting rid of him, and a wise traveler said so,'

'Who's this 'wise traveler'?' I was surprised at how doubtful Allen sounded as the man turned his back on us for a minute seemed to whip around a piece of paper with a picture of a man.

'Wait you're saying General Cross was here!' Lavi exclaimed aloud with excitement. I had heard about this General but not all of it was good since Allen was the one telling me most of it, he really did sound like a horrible person but interesting… I shook my head what had that guy have anything to do with now.

'Yes, he came here and visited the Count a few weeks ago, we all thought he would be dead but he came back and told us to look for anyone dressed in the uniform you wear,' the man was pointing at the crest adorning our chests before everyone in the room bowed in great respect or were they glad that they had found a sacrifice for their little coop.

I sighed hopeless as I stared at the man in front of me.

'I'm sorry there but I not like them, I only specialize in intellectual matter…'

'Then you must have known about our crisis,' I almost fell back in my chair before shoving the man back.

'Sorry…'

'I've only been in the Black Order for about two months now; I'm still new about this,' I said as I heard Lavi snicker… if I hadn't been this terrified I would have snarled at him.

'Then all the more for experience… what do you say black priests?' he stared at Lavi and Allen who glanced at each.

'Ah… sorry there but we specialize in akuma not vampires,' Lavi said, as he the man almost seemed to pounce on him.

'But they are the same!'

'Give it up Lavi, we may as well check it out… if master was here then it had to be important,' Allen said as he stood up the ropes falling down to the fall as I frowned at him. He was just being a show off now.

'Ah fine…'

….

After getting into contact with Lenalee and Bookman, we had found out that they had left just a few minutes ago on the train. They must have been waiting on the train as Bookman suggested that they would wait for them at the next station while we investigated the Count.

I sighed as I hiked up the mountainside with Lavi and Allen in the lead and the villagers… well being the cowards they were, they to the back end of the line probably for a quick get away no doubt. But I didn't complain, Allen and Lavi had a tougher time ahead of them because they were going to have to fight this Count if what the villagers say is true.

Suddenly Allen's eye activated.

'Get down!' The villagers obeyed as Allen and Lavi launched into action and attacked the group of akuma that had came out of nowhere. I dived behind a tree and hid there, I felt ridiculous but what could I do, I wasn't like them.

Allen took the right flank while Lavi preoccupied the right driving and destroying the akuma quickly without anyone getting hurt. I sighed with relief and stepped out before I saw something head towards Allen.

'Allen behind you!' He turned but he was too late to dodge it as whatever it was hit the left side of his face and Allen collapsed onto his knee and winced in pain. Lavi and I hurried to his side as I knelt beside him.

'Allen? Allen, let me see that,' I urged but he kept his hand firmly over his left eye. I put my hands on my hips and grumbled because I was in no mood to argue with him.

'Just let me look, I've seen worse!' I insisted as he reluctantly did so and I cupped my hands over his eye and gazed at it and winced. There was nothing there but hollowness.

'Ah, your eye's completely shriveled, hang on a minute,' I reached for the first aid kit I had managed to bring along and put a band-aid to cover the eye. It was all I could think of doing as I stop back quite ruefully.

'Sorry I can't do anymore,'

'Don't worry about it, it should regenerate soon enough,' I didn't question what Allen had meant but shrugged and stood up looking at the villagers cowering behind us.

'You can move now it's safe,' I called to them as they slowly shuffled towards us muttering to between them.

'Hey Allen can you still see with your eye?' I heard Lavi asked Allen as the white head shook his head in despair.

'No I can't detect akuma,' I flinched as I walked behind them, Allen's words were simple, we have to be on our toes from now on.

….

**Author's Note:**

**FINALLY… I managed to finish this chapter and all… hmm I think you'll know where this is heading but I had to well change it a bit. Can't have Allen walk into the place with an akuma detecting eye could I?**

**Oh and please review! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen:

It wasn't easy, the last hundred or so metres to the front gate of this Count's spooky castle. I had to admit I was terrified as I noticed that Lavi and Allen were more on edge now then they were halfway down the mountain.

Even the villagers kept a good distance between them and us, they were cowards but to be honest, we weren't the bravest trio around.

We walked up the deep slope and came upon the gate, rather quickly, it was large and dark and gloomy with some sort of gargoyle head silently shrieking above our heads. It sent shivers down my spine as I walked up closer to Allen and Lavi; their hands were firmly on their innocence.

Soon enough, Lavi and Allen were back to back as soon as the door suddenly burst open, but nothing was on the other side. I flinched when a gust of wind blew past me, ruffling my coat and hair.

'I smelt something sweet?' the man beside me muttered in confusion as I sniffed the air. He wasn't lying; there was a sweet fragrance in the air, which reminded me of the jasmine that grew on the side of an alley I usually passed on the way to school.

'I wonder…'

'Argh... H-he got Fran!' We all turned around to find one of the villagers on the ground frantically pointing at a dark figure standing poised on the ground in front of them. I froze, as did Lavi and Allen behind me.

Standing before us, holding a limp figure by the neck in his mouth, couldn't possibly be…?

_Honestly, I didn't want to think…_

'It's the Count! Get him, black priests,' the villagers panicked as Lavi and Allen hesitantly got into action and activated their innocence.

I stood back along with the villagers since I didn't wield innocence and watched nervously as the two began to battle with the vampire.

I had to admit the vampire was bloody good against the both of them, managing grabbing Lavi's hammer by his teeth and throwing him to the side before Allen managed to clasp him in his crown clown.

'Are you really a vampire, Count?' Allen asked strangely, I suppose he was right to ask, how were we suppose to know whether or not vampires truly do exist. For all I know, they didn't.

'Heh, want to find out?' Without warning, the Count broke free from Allen's grip and rushed forward, surprising Allen, he sank his teeth into the white head's neck. Allen jerked back in shock spraying blood between him and the Count. Then before we knew, well I in particular knew, everything was a blur. The strong sweet scent of jasmine filled my nose.

_Shit! _

'Allen! Lavi! HELP!' I called out desperately but I wasn't sure if they had heard anything I was saying since the wind was so loud.

I had realized that the Count had grabbed me when he came but between the villagers, and I dizzyingly stared at the man still hanging limply and pale in the Count's other arm. Was he dead? _Fuck!_

Then that's when everything went black.

….

_Light, a flickering orange light that reminded me of a flame._

_Fire…_

_It was a small area not so large than the space of an attic. There was a rising peak of stone above my head and dancing with the shimmering colour of glossy marble. _

_A room… _

_Where was I?_

_I was standing there silently taking it all in, the scene of fragrant smoke and the cool feel of the tiles against my bare feet. This place-felt familiar yet unfamiliar…_

_Have I been here before?_

_It was unlike any place I have visited before, I know of school, my family, my house, the streets I walk to get to the library and none of my memories showed this._

_Memories…? I was puzzled there; this had to be a dream… I mean I didn't feel the pulsing headache I would normally have before I blacked out. _

_This seemed strange yet I somehow knew of it and it scared me because I had no idea why I was feeling this. _

….

I blinked in a daze, having just woken up, my head feeling as bad as a thick grey fog. I groaned and shifted but couldn't move very far. It was dark, pitch black.

Where the heck am I? I shuffled again feeling the enclosed space around me, it was long, enough to fit a whole length of me, and wide enough too. I paled when the confinement jolted and I caught glimpse of someone muttering under there breath.

I tried turning onto my back but that was a failure so I listened until a loud sound, almost like an explosion rocked whatever I was in.

' What's going on now?' a voice complained loud enough for me to make out, it was feminine and slightly annoyed as my confinement shuffled uneasily and I could now make out shoes clattering against tiles.

_Was she pushing me?_

The explosions and noise grew louder that I tried to cover my ears but then a familiar voice reached me through the chaos.

'Lavi, wake up, or you'll get eaten,' _Eaten by what?_

'What are you doing to Lord Alistair's flowers?' the voice shouted out over the chaos, I was surprised that she could actually do that as I flinched at its loudness.

'Ah… it's a woman? I wonder why…?'

'LAVI! ALLEN! HELP ME!' I shouted at the top of my lungs as I heard the woman teeter with annoyance and there was silence from Allen and Lavi's end.

'Lillian! Where are you?' Allen called out and I started to thump on the rough surface in front of me.

'Do you think I'd fucking know? I'm in some sort of confinement,' I shouted back as I continued to beat the living daylights out of whatever was in front of me. I heard the woman give an irritated sigh before I felt my box… I think shuffle.

'Hmph, fine if you want her back, you'll just have to guess which coffin she's in,'

_Coffin… did she just say coffin? _

I suddenly felt like I got pushed down a rather bumpy slope and for a moment it felt like I was airborne.

'Allen!'

'Got it!' it seemed like time had slowed down before I heard a blast or two and I plummeted to the ground only to be caught short by Lavi. We landed swiftly on the ground and Allen stumbled over to us.

'Are you alright?'

'Yeah but what did she mean by two?' I asked though I wished I had just left it as we glanced at the wooden coffin lying unnoticed by the monstrous flowers rising above our heads.

But it didn't remain that way as one of the flowers lunged at it and snapped it whole.

'Ah… wasn't that the villager?' I asked queasily as we all stood and watched it chew and swallow before turning its bulk towards us. I flinched but its size wasn't what made me do it, it was the black stars starting to show all over its body.

The stars soon spread from one flower to all of them and when it finally hit us about what would happen next… they exploded!

I was coughing in darkness just after the explosion, it wasn't pleasant the smoke smelled horrid and I wasn't the only one to think so. The darkness lifted and I realized that it was from Allen's innocence… white… it reminded me of Keko.

'Thanks,' I said in relief as I stood up and brushed as much of the ash and dust as I could while taking in my surroundings, we were in a castle I could tell much from the tall turrets and grey stone used in its making.

How I could tell these things were simple, half the castle wall was blown leaving a bloody gapping hole revealing the clear night sky speckled with stars and a low bright moon. It was nice without the thought of a vampire out for our blood bothering us.

'Ah, Lily… Are you alright?' Lavi asked suddenly as I turned around to face him, he was giving me a rather cautious look as I frowned at him.

'Apart from nearly being blown up, yes!'

Lavi then began pointing to his a point as his neck and instinctive did the same, I froze when I felt something there as if something had bitten me… the bite mark was fucking big that was for sure.

I rubbed it and something flaked away from my skin, I pulled my hand away and my eyes must have been the size of saucers as I stared at the flakes of blood sprinkled over my hand.

'Ah…?'

'Not only Allen was bitten, you were too!' Lavi seemed to be fretting like a bloody girl as I stamp my foot stubbornly at the redhead.

'There are no such thing as vampires Lavi, get that through your head!' I shouted at him though he was still skeptical about that and I looked at Allen.

'Maybe we've missed something… let's explore!'

….

**I'll post this up for now and start writing the next chapter! Hope you enjoyed it and please review! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

We walked down the corridors in single file, Allen got the front, and I got the back while Lavi got the middle. The castle from what I could remember, was rather creepy on the outside, and just goes to show that the person we were dealing with wasn't of the normal sort of mind. That conclusion made me shudder.

_Honestly why couldn't we have come here during the day?_

'Allen~ are you sure we're going the right way?' Lavi whispered from behind me as I started to wonder the same thing, the place seemed similar anyway we went and to straight the point, Allen didn't seem the best with directions.

'Yes I'm sure,' Allen said back over his shoulder not as cautiously as Lavi had done as Allen pushed open the door in front of him and we surprisingly stepped outside. I breathed a sigh of relief as I slumped down on the close thing to me and watched as the two exorcists wondering around in front of me.

Then Lavi turned to me and froze.

'Ah Lily? What are you sitting on?' He said as I saw him pale with fear Allen seemed to have noticed to as I glanced down and found that I was leaning on something solid yet oddly shaped.

'SHIT!' I screamed as I quickly jumped off whatever I was sitting on and gazed at it with a fearful shudder… I had been sitting on a grave! I spun around and found out it wasn't the only grave here, there were about seven others.

'Man this whole place has been turned into a cemetery,' Lavi said as he crept cautiously around as if the dead would wake up any minute and drag him down with them. I glared at him after recovering from my own shock of having been sitting on someone's grave. I watched Allen bend over and examine a grave marker more carefully and as he went to touch it, the marker fell down and we all froze.

'Are you an idiot (beansprout)' Lavi added the beansprout but we did chorus mostly the same words as we both stood there petrified of what Allen had done. Allen then panicked.

'I didn't mean to,' he said as he went to grab the marker and replace it but he paused.

'Oi Allen, you should place the marker back or else will be cursed again,' Allen glared at Lavi then I noticed that Allen had found something.

'What did you find?' I asked as I cautiously came over to him and glanced over his white hair and at the dark pentacles that covered the ground.

'Pentacles, could… could this be a grave for akuma?' I shuddered, who would bother about burying akuma… didn't they explode to nothing but dust?

'Well there's one way to find out,' both Allen and me turned to Lavi who was carrying shovels and handed us one each. I glanced down at the shovel before glaring at Lavi.

'Are you nuts? But I guess we have no choice,' I sighed as we started digging up the grave and before long we hit something solid and unearthed the coffin.

I stared nervously at the coffin then back at the exorcists.

'Um… so who's going to open it?'

We then decided to do 'paper-scissors-rock' to decided and lucky enough Allen seems to have some rotten luck and was the one picked to open the coffin. I watched nervously with Lavi cowering behind me as Allen pried the nails loose and lifted the lid.

'Lillian, Lavi… you better see this,'

We came over to him and stared down at what he was seeing. I wanted to hurl… the skin was peeling away revealing the metallic skeleton of an akuma.

'So these are the graves of akuma,' Lavi thought carefully, 'presumed we'd find the same thing in all of them.'

'Then there was the recent victim, he must have been in the other coffin and when he was eaten the flowers had pentacles all over them,' I picked up remembering how we almost got blown to smithereens by the flowers. It must have been because of the human virus.

I watch everyone nod with agreement as Allen and I glanced at each other.

'If that's the case…'

'We've jumped to conclusions about the Count,' I finished Allen off before I felt the fogginess from before cloud my mind that and a dull throbbing pain…

….

_Akuma, the creation from one's deepest sorrows…_

_They are as much human as we are put their purpose is something else…_

_Tragedy creates death and death creates sorrow, which in turn creates akuma…_

_The human's greatest sin is the desire for something that is out of their reach_

… _Like God?_

_Hohoh, exactly, like that despicable God!_

….

'… Lily… Earth to Lily?' I blinked out of my thoughts as I stared at Lavi staring worrying at me.

'Ah… yes?' I said rubbing my eyes, for some reason I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion but what was that dream I had? Seeing the corpse of an akuma since it was about akuma must have triggered it.

_A human's greatest sin…_ what could that possibly mean? Well that was definitely something to think about as I stared at a dark shadow that had appeared behind Lavi. I knew it wasn't Allen because the shadow was taller and had slick black hair.

'LAVI!' Lavi turned around a little too late as he was whacked harshly across the side of his head and sent him straight into the rocky wall.

'Hmm, you've been trying my patience… first you attack me, then you destroy my flowers and now you desecrate the graves of my victims… I'll have to deal with you,' I trembled as I recognized the Count staring down at me but I stopped as I saw the similarity between Keko and his eyes, black instead of white with a golden iris.

'You… you have the same eyes as my friend, Keko,' I spoke softly causing the thin man to pause from attacking me.

'Who's this Keko?'

'He's an albino fox and an accommodator of innocence… we have come here now, not to kill you but to recruit you because you are also an accommodator,' I said trying to keep myself from revealing the fear I from the Count's intimidation. But it seems like my words fell on deaf ears as he roughly grabbed me and lifted me by the throat.

'Let her go!' Allen came to my aid then ramming into the Count's side and threw him into the wall. I coughed dryly as I brought air into my lungs and gazed as the man recovered quickly.

'Please, Count, listen to us, we no longer have a reason to fight you but ask that you join us,' Allen pleaded with him but the man threw back his head and laughed.

'Hah, join more monsters and be hated for the rest of my life! I've had enough of your talking,' I flinched, the Count wasn't the least bit happy as I dived out of the way and watched with terror as Allen was sent off to some part of the building.

The Count turned to me as I stood up and held my ground, I may not be an exorcist but I could at least try to convince him that we are right. He came at me and instinctively I held my arm out in front of me and I felt his teeth sink into my arm. I winced but stood strong and I lashed out catching the Count off guard. Luckily before the man recovered, Lavi came out of nowhere.

'Oi, you know it's rude to attack a lady,'

'You know it's rude to give people nicknames without their consent,' I scoffed dryly as Lavi laughed queasily as he stood between the Count and me.

'Anyway, try to find Allen, I'll deal with the Count,' I nodded; for once Lavi was being smart and hurried off towards the castle entrance to find Allen.

….

I hurried around the castle… bloody hell it was huge… I could barely tell if I had gone in circles or not but the place did give off that exact feeling. I had been wondering for a good ten minutes listening worryingly about the fighting that I could clearly hear not matter where in the castle I happened to be.

'They could at least settle down,' I mumbled as I felt the loss of blood take a toll on me as I quickened my pace hoping to find Allen as soon as possible. Suddenly another crash echoed near me and I was certain that it was the Count and Lavi but what confused me was it wasn't from that particular direction.

I hurried down the hall and turned a corner to find Allen lying unconscious on the floor with a woman standing over him holding two axes on, which was hovering over his neck.

'Allen!' I called out distracting the woman slightly as she glared at me as I managed to grab one of the axes.

'Damnit, how are you still alive?' she hissed, I froze my hands still gripping the handle of the axe firmly as I recognized the voice from the time I was kept in that coffin. She eventually managed to overpower me and flung me roughly against the wall all while I still held the axe.

'Hmph, you're just a measly human, I'll deal with you later but the exorcist… his death will atone everything I've done and the Earl will praise me…'

_The Earl… wait that couldn't mean that she's an akuma? _

'Stop it!' I cried through the pain rippling around my back as the axe came down on Allen's neck but his innocence caught us both off guard. His left arm was up and gripping the blade tightly as she struggled to get the axe back.

'Damnit, how are you still awake? Wait…' We both seemed to look at Allen carefully, to me he was definitely unconscious but it was his innocence, it seemed to have a mind of its own as the woman jumped back as the innocence lashed out at her.

Soon enough I was watching as Crown Clown took control of Allen's body as if it were a puppet and it the puppeteer. I then noticed the innocence used white tendrils to move Allen's body forward and attack the woman.

The woman defended quickly but her axe was broken clean in half and the innocence continued its assault. I stood up finally and quickly followed them as they disappeared from my sight, I didn't want to lose them now!

I went down the corridor as the woman transformed into its monstrous form and begin to retaliate against the innocence as I watched bewildered by what was happening in front of me.

'Wait Allen!' I called fruitlessly as they both jumped off the upper balcony just as another crash could be heard from the other side of the room. I stumbled and watched as I recognized the Count on the floor below us. The akuma did too and transformed back into a woman as she rushed to his aid.

'Alystar, Alystar can you hear me?'

I paused behind Allen as we watched carefully before the ground underneath us gave way and we almost toppled to the ground if Lavi hadn't appeared to grab us.

'Hello you two, what ya doing?' he asked cheekily as he let us down. I heard a mumbled and realized that Allen had finally woken up, his eye in full working order again.

'You're finally awake Allen… you had me worried for a sec,' I sighed with relief as Allen gave me a confused look and decided that I would bring it up again later as I stared at the woman now nestling the Count in her arms.

'Alystar are you all right?' I froze… I couldn't help it, because my eyes weren't actually on the pair but the hovering ghostly figure that came out from the woman's body.

'A-Allen what is that?'

'Hmm, what… wait you mean you see it?' Allen seemed very confused right now possibly because seeing this must be normal to him.

'Is that the soul brought back from the dead to fuel the akuma?' Lavi's words made me shiver but it was the words from my dream that scared me.

_The human's greatest sin is the desire for something that is out of their reach_

Whoever said that was right, death was the ultimate end and now standing before me was an attempt to defy that death. It truly was terrifying as it made my stomach do somersaults.

The Count seemed to be staring at it too, fearful of what he might learn from this.

'Count, this woman is an akuma, all your victims are akuma, that means you're an exorcist,' Allen called to him from our position from the other side of the room.

The woman seemed furious and transformed and attacked the Count.

'Ah… Krorykins must still be exhausted from fighting me,' Lavi said feeling a little guilty as Allen and I stared at him.

'Krorykins?'

'Lavi I told you not to…' my words were cut short as carnivorous flowers burst through the walls. I shrieked as I jumped back but unfortunately, Allen and Lavi weren't as lucky as I was. They struggled desperately against the vines that wrapped around them, Lavi had stupidly let his hammer go when he was grabbed and was fretting about like… well a rabbit I suppose.

As they 'battled' with the plants and stayed behind the pillar and watched as the Count and the akuma fight against each other. It almost seemed like the Count could easily win this but the akuma sent out bubbles that seemed to dry out whatever it touches.

I shuddered just thinking about what would happen if I were caught in one of those. Before long the Count had figured out something and literally flung himself in the midst of all those bubbles and… how should I put it… was wrung dry.

'Count!' I shouted out as I foolishly left the safety of the pillar and stood out in the open as the akuma glared at me.

'It's about time I got rid of you,' it sent bubbles my way and I felt like I couldn't move as I shielded my eyes away as I felt the bubbles press down on me… then… nothing? What was going on here?

I opened my eyes and found that I as still alive and not shriveled up like a prune… oh I hate prunes or any dried fruit for that matter…

I glanced as the akuma transformed back into a woman and stared down at the dried out Count, seemingly looking rather sad… was that possible? Well at least she hasn't figured out that I'm still whole… if that's right.

Suddenly, the Count's body moved instinctively just like Allen's had and clamped down on the woman's neck and began to drain her blood from her body. I heard footsteps behind me and saw that Allen and Lavi had managed to free themselves from the flowers and together we went over to the wailing Count as he whimpered over the akuma's death.

'Look up Krorykins, at least you don't have anyone to hold you back,' I glared at Lavi.

'How insensitive can you get?' I shouted at him punching him right in the arm just to warn him to think before opening his mouth.

'Stupid flowers…'

'Huh?'

'Ugly, revolting flowers! I hate you!'

'NO, Count don't agitate the flowers!' Allen pleaded in desperation as we glanced down at the flower we were standing on and we all fell down into its gaping mouth.

'Nice one Lavi!' (Me)

'What did I do?' (Lavi)

'She's right you know, you can be insensitive,' (Allen)

'Just leave me here to die, I don't deserve to live after killing the one I loved,' we all heard the Count sob but unfortunately that would mean dragging us to our deaths as well. I mean suicide's fine as long as you don't take anyone with YOU!

'Count, listen, it may not be much but you saved her, despite destroying her! How about using her death as a way to move forward or else she would have died for nothing!' I was surprised with how serious Allen was but it worked as the Count calmed down and we were finally able to get out of the flower's mouth, much to my relief.

….

**Hello again readers, MercenaryCrime here! **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter because it was an ass to write, stupid writer's block!**

**Anyway please review and tell me what you think! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen:

We all sat on the stone floor as the Count fully introduced himself as Alystar Krory the Third… now that rang a bell! _Where did I here that again?_ Allen was holding up the picture of Marian Cross, the General we were tracking down and to our surprise Krory said he had come to the castle not long ago.

'Yeah he came passed, not too long ago. He said he came to give respect to my grandfather and he asked for money too…' Krory explained as he sat in one of his rooms beside a fire, drying us off from our little almost-getting-eaten-alive experience.

'So he sponged on you too,' Allen said and paled a little because of this, probably thinking that he might have another debt to pay. I felt sorry for him.

'Yeah, I guess, he also wanted to return a flower,'

'Flower? What type of flower?' Allen asked as Krory stared at him blankly, I was surprised at how different this man was when his innocence wasn't activated.

'A baby man-eater,' I swear I had never seen anyone so pale before as Allen excused himself and wondered out of the room. Krory seemed as confused as I was but Lavi waved his hand.

'He's probably having a bad flashback… so back to the General, would you say you got your innocence before or after General Cross came?' Lavi said quickly eager to continue on with the topic. Krory paused to think for a bit.

'I'd say after, it was the first time one of my grandfather's plants bit me,'

'Oh so after it bit you, you gained your innocence?' I quizzed as Krory nodded but then a tear slid down his cheek and I kind of guessed what… wait, which he was thinking of.

'Then I met Eliade…'

'Krory, you shouldn't be sad, as Allen said, use her as an example, akuma are not free beings they are forever trapped to serve the Earl and his family, you'd be doing her a favor,' I said comforting the distort man as Allen came back in looking a little bit better than before.

'I called Lenalee and Bookman and explained the situation, we're to meet them in the town on the Tibet border,' Allen said as we all nodded as Krory was the first one to make a move.

'Please wait for me outside… I have something a want to do,'

….

We stood outside the castle waiting for Krory to finish whatever he wanted to do and I gazed at the magnificent exterior of this castle. It really did look like something a vampire would leave in, not a lonely man begging to be acknowledged.

'Oi Lily, what's that in your hair?' Lavi came up behind me suddenly causing me to jump as he fiddle with the blue strands of my hair and pulled something out that seemed to be tangled. He held the small thing up to see if he could make out what it was but being me, I was impatient.

'Give it,' I demanded as I jumped up to reach at Lavi's fist that held whatever it was.

'Have some patience Lily,' Lavi laughed before a large blast distracted us and I made one last grab and took the thing from Lavi. Satisfied I finally stared back at the flames enveloping the castle, I was sad to see it burn but Lavi and Allen seemed a little more worried than I was.

'Krory! Don't tell me he…?'

Soon enough we saw a shadow walking towards us and the two exorcists sighed with relief as I blinked… damn I could be very slow.

….

The next events were ones that I'd rather forget I suppose. When we had returned to the village and we were literally kicked out because we wouldn't kill Krory and no matter what we said, the villager's had their minds stubbornly set on one thing…

Krory was a vampire!

I grizzled when I recalled what had happened, as I glanced out the train window as the scenery past us like a blur. In my hand, I cradled whatever Lavi had found in my hair and fingered the tiny oblong shape with a jagged surface. It was tiny and had past much of my time, making me wonder about the small things.

I was being to think of my family… were they worried? My school and friends… were they worried?

I sighed and my eyes fell on poor Krory who was moping in the corner, huddled in self-woe, which was beginning to get on my nerves

'Come on, cheer up Krorykins, it doesn't matter what they say. 'Home is where the heart is,' Allen and I glared at Lavi, wondering about where he had gotten that type of logic.

'Ignore him Krory, we're your friends now so you don't have to worry,' Allen nudged Lavi roughly in the side with his left arm as Lavi whined about it hurting. I rolled my eyes at them and stared at Krory with a smile.

'You haven't been on a train before, right? How about we explore?' I suggested as Krory wiped his nose on his sleeves as he straightened himself out.

'You're right, Lillian, let's go,' I jumped off my seat and slipped the small object back into my pocket as I followed Krory out of our compartment as Allen and Lavi waved a quick good bye.

….

The train wasn't packed so it was easy to move around and explore. I enjoyed watching Krory absorb everything in like a sponge; he was just like a kid during Christmas opening his presents.

I couldn't help but laugh as Krory accidentally walked into the wrong bathroom and I had to teach him about which room he was allowed to go in. I also discovered several other things I didn't know.

People were a hell of a lot nicer when offering space or seats to people unlike back at home where I had to normally barge through on transportation to avoid missing my stop.

I sighed and scratched my head as we walked into the luggage carriage. I felt really silly since I was the one leading Krory around when I had little to no idea about these types of carriages.

'Looks like we should head back Krory…' I didn't here a reply, which was very odd, Krory, I found out, normally answered immediately of babble before he actually spoke any words. But right now, I didn't receive both as I turned around and gapped like a bloody fish.

Krory was nowhere to be seen as I quickly retraced my steps calling out his name as I made my way back. He must have gotten distract, Krory seemed prone to that, I noticed because he was naïve and not fully aware of the outside world.

'Krory, where are…?' I paused as a deep blush stained my cheeks, unfortunately as much as I wanted I couldn't look away. Sitting on the ground was three men and Krory in nothing but underwear.

'Ah!' I shrieked and covered my eyes to hide their embarrassment and mine. Honesty, do people actually do this on the fucking train?

'Oh, fancy meeting you here Lily,' Lavi laughed queasily, I focused my eyes on only the redhead, though to be frank, that was kind of hard to do when you have three guys looking quite toned sitting in front of you.

'I-I was looking for Krory,' I stammered trying to keep my eyes from gazing down at them but one of the men must have caught my blush.

'Hah what a contrast, red against blue,' he commented only to make my blush go redder, 'she a companion of yours?'

Allen glanced up from the cards he held in his hand, I noticed that his grey eyes were stark, cold and vicious all at once that it made it shiver where I stood.

'Yes she is… Call!'

'You're fucking kidding me, another royal straight flush,' the men threw their cards into the air and Lavi persuaded Krory to quickly get dressed as the train slowly came into a station.

We watched the men and a child get off the train without their gear, I panicked slightly… were they actually mad? It was freezing outside! I grabbed their gear Allen had won, he didn't seem to care and I rushed after the men.

'Ah wait, here's your clothes,' I panted as I jumped onto the platform and held out their gear for them to take.

'We don't you sympathy miss,' the one with thick glasses snickered at me so I pretended that I was going back onto the train, taking their gear with me.

'… On second thought,' I handed the gear back to them as they quickly put it on I smiled glad that I could actually look the men in the eye.

'Thanks miss,' the man said in a mellow voice, that was when I got distracted.

'Hang on, have we met before?' I asked the man with the glasses, he was one of the good-looking guys and I have to admit I had to avoid staring at him in particular when he lacked clothing.

The man acknowledged my question with the tilt of his head before taking a deep breath from his cigarette before blowing it rudely into my face.

'Nah, haven't seen you before, but you better hurry or you'll be staying here,' I took one second to process the guys words before I bolted back onto the train before the doors closed.

'See ya,' I waved back through the window, and then I watched with surprise as the man shuffled through his pockets and threw something my way, I managed to catch it and I gazed at the skull of the joker card.

'Keep it as a thanks!' I heard his voice call to me as I leaned against the open window and watched the platform disappear. Something was bugging me; I swear I had seen him somewhere before… but where?

….

**Another chapter complete… please review and tell me what you think should happen next! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen:

Meeting up with Bookman and Lenalee had relief in itself for two reasons… one, now I wasn't the only girl in the group and secondly, Lavi is nice but his energy tires me out and unfortunately I learned not to far asleep while he's around.

'I'm so glad your safe Lillian,' Lenalee said as she grasped my hands, I returned the friendly gesture with a smile. I was glad we were finally getting along but I still couldn't shake the feeling she still suspected me.

'Yes, now that you're here… we've manage to gain intelligence of Marian's whereabouts,'

'Marian?' I was confused slightly before it was explained to me that it was General Marian Cross. Ugh, why couldn't I have figured that out?

'He's heading to the coast of China but he has had a head start because you three decided to go missing,' Lavi, Allen and I flinched as Bookman glared at us each in turn.

'Aw come on Gramps, those villagers were desperate…' Thwack! I snickered as Lavi staggered away from a fuming Bookman, and turned to Krory.

'Right, Alystar Krory, this is Lenalee Lee and Bookman, they're the other members of our group,' I added to the confusion in the Count's face. He seemed slightly nervous but he soon calmed down when we all said that he was fine the way he was.

… The man needed some self-esteem…

….

We headed from town and took a boat upstream and it was a relaxing ride. I was with Lenalee and Allen while Bookman, Krory and Lavi were in the other boat.

The scene around us was marvelous, large bamboo forests stretched their emerald leaves over the surface of the water and the calls from several birds filled the soft breeze with music.

However, not every one of us was relaxed, Allen was just as fidgety as Lenalee did her best to distract him. I watched from the corner of my eye as she tried to keep him in a simple conversation but I knew it was futile since Allen's left eye was active and alert.

That was a sign that the beauty of this place had a thorn or two that we should be wary of.

Over the last few weeks I've been studying Allen's behavior and came to a wary conclusion that he didn't even trust his own self Right now, his left fist was tightly clenched and though a smile was adorning his face, his eyes were dark and alert.

I could tell when Lenalee couldn't that something was definitely wrong and kept an extra eye out for any signs of movement or anything out of the ordinary. Suddenly he stood up, Crown Clown activated and at the ready.

The boat rocked violently as I was thrown onto the floor just as an akuma broke the surface and aimed at us. Though quick as it was, Allen had the speed and grace to outmatch it and threw tendrils of his cowl to shred it to pieces.

'I little more warning next time Allen,' I shouted at him angrily but he pushed me back towards the deck as another akuma appeared, shooting bullets at us.

It was just a level one but even a level one could be dangerous if its blood bullets shot you.

Lenalee launched herself from the boat and activated her innocence before driving the heel of her boot into the side of a level two. My mind was screaming one single word… SHIT!

I cowered at the bottom of the boat with my hands covering my head, there was nothing else for me to do but wait till the exorcists dealt with the akuma. Allen stood above me, which reminded me of how I first met him and he defended the boat using ribbons of innocence like a whip to drive away approaching akuma.

However, we hadn't bet anything on the akuma coming from below us and both Allen and I were flung into the water. I gagged as the water rushed into my open mouth and nose before I broke the surface coughing hysterically.

'Allen!' I called out but I couldn't see a mop of white hair anywhere near me and I went rigid. He might not have broken the surface.

I barely heard Lenalee call out to me as I dove into the water and began to search for him. I didn't luckily, managed to find him, a trail of dark red was trailing from a nasty cut on his forehead as I swam closer to him and made a grab for his arm that was floating out.

It wasn't easy dragging deadweight to the surface but I did manage to but unfortunately it wasn't easy keeping both our heads above water.

'Krory, Lavi!' I shouted over at the last remaining boat with Lavi defending it with the head of his hammer. He turned his single green eye to me… the look of fear and stress in those eyes made me glance over my shoulder.

An akuma was spiraling towards Allen and me. I knew Allen wouldn't be able to wake in time to deal with it and Lenalee, Krory, Bookman were busy dealing the other akuma in the swarm.

I did the only thing available to me and that was to duck under the water, which I knew was dangerous for Allen since he was unconscious but I had to. I watched the akuma pass over our heads before breaking the surface again and taking desperately needed air into my lungs.

I was hoping, praying that Allen was also breathing as the finally akuma was destroyed and the boat was rowed towards us and Lavi and Krory hulled us out of the water.

However the relief was short lived as I checked for breathing on Allen's behalf… there wasn't any but I could feel a faint pulse and quickly performed CPR as I had been taught in school.

I never knew that I would ever be in a position to have to do that as I pressed my lips against his to breath air into his lungs. I had to do my best to ignore Lenalee was seemed to be glaring at me as I did some more compressions before pressing my lips against his again.

This time I got a response and Allen coughed violently as I turned him onto his side as water dribbled from his mouth. I heard sighs of relief ripple behind me and Bookman luckily took over to deal with the rest.

'Hey I'm impressed you knew first aid, Lily,' Lavi exclaimed to me but I just laughed queasily as Krory draped his coat over my shivering body.

'I never thought I'd ever have to use it till now,' what I said was true? No one should ever be placed in that position… ever!

There was no mistaking the envy in Lenalee's eyes as I stood up and went over to her.

'Ah Lenalee… if you're worried about the mouth to mouth thing, it needed to be done if he was going to breath again, it is not counted as a first kiss,' she blushed as she turned away from me.

'R-right, I'm sorry for judging you then,' it didn't sound sincere but I didn't care as I threw my wet arms around her neck.

'Don't worry, he'll be fine, but hey at least it wasn't Lavi or someone else,' we laughed at that together. Maybe we shared the same view on that as we fell silent and made the rest of the way cautiously till we were on land again.

….

Allen recovered quickly and still doesn't know what happened between us, which I was glad for because then he might fret as Lenalee had but I had to elbow Lavi hard before he split the beans.

We did though arrive quickly to a coast town and began our search for Cross, Allen was using the man's interpretation of Cross since it was still very good at the descriptive side and it wasn't long before we were led to some fancy place that almost looked like an oriental castle.

'A brothel… not that I expect anything less of Master,' Allen sounded slightly grossed out, he even looked like that as I watched as he and Lavi took the front and we were about to enter the building till quite a large person stood in our way.

'We don't serve minors,' the person hissed as I jumped nervously as the deepness of their voice. Allen and Lavi flinched before being wrenched off the ground.

'W-wait we're looking for a particular person… Marian Cross…' I frowned as the person's expression changed and she whispered something into Allen's ear before dropping both he and Lavi onto the ground and going back inside.

I blinked, Lenalee looking as confused as I was. Allen turned to us and seemed to repeat what had been said to him.

'We're to go through the back,' he said as we did just that and was allowed entry despite four us being underage.

We were quickly escorted to the back chambers where the room was draped in lovely pale colours of purple, blue, yellow and pink. At one end of the room sat a beautiful woman dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and her hair decorated elegantly that made me slightly jealous of her.

'Welcome, exorcists and finder, if you're looking for Cross he left eight days ago,'

'What?' we were all exhausted, drained and even sleep deprived so we didn't really want to here that at all.

'Eh? We came here for nothing,' I slumped down utterly wanting to shut me eyes and fall asleep there and then.

'Where was Master heading?'

There was a pause from the woman as I saw her eyes quiver with sadness.

'The ship… Cross was on, sank three days ago, grotesque corpses were surrounding the ship but there were no survivors,' I went rigid as I heard this but that didn't deter Allen from stepping forward.

'His alive, Master wouldn't go down so easily,'

'Do you think…?' a tear fell from the corner of the woman's eye before she nodded.

'Mahoja, prepare my ship we'll take the exorcists to Cross's destination,' the person who had greeted us at the door, stepped out of the shadows and nodded with their baldhead.

'We're going to Japan, Edo,'

….

**I'll leave this here for now…**

**Please review! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen:

We set sail shortly after we confirmed General Cross' location and I was left to loiter around the ship with hardly anything to do but watch the clouds and waves. Ugh, taking a long trip to Japan wasn't my idea of fun… I did at first but this was taking forever!

I ruffled my blue hair that billowed in the salty breeze and sighed. Why me? I did choose to come along though and it had been fun… except when I almost drowned, got buried alive in a coffin and who knows what else I had to experience with the group of exorcists.

It was either they were trouble or this General was the one causing all our problems in the first place. I sighed in defeat and leaned against the railing of the boat, gazing into the aqua blue depths hoping to spy something to preoccupy my mind for a bit.

I was beginning to think I was wasting my time before I decided to pull out my small collection consisting of the deck of cards from the traveler fallen foul to Allen's dark side and the seed that was in my hair after we had been to Krory's mansion.

These two objects, if I could, I would definitely take them back with me when I get the chance to return to my family.

If I ever get home that is?

I sighed heavily and sank onto the deck as day slowly turned to night and I noticed that Lavi was walking towards me.

'Bored?'

'I've seen well,' I mumbled my reply keeping my gaze on the toe of my boots that stuck out from under my legwarmers. Lavi snickered at my words and leaned against the railing, looking up at the starry sky and the big golden moon nestled in the distant black clouds.

'Lovely night, huh?' I rolled my eyes.

'If you're trying to flirt, that was a complete fail,' Lavi looked slightly taken back.

'Hey, be nice to an amateur,'

'Heh, an amateur that brags about picking up women just like that,' I snickered at him as the redhead pouted and turned to look back up at the sky.

'You're mean,' I laughed but didn't say anymore as I slipped the cards and seed back into my back pocket. Till I saw a shadow descend onto the deck, I followed the rather long shadow to its owner and screamed.

Lavi whipped around and before he or I could do anything, it attacked.

….

Pain, oh how I hate it, it rippled through my left hip as I smashed into the side of the cabin and Lavi was thrown up amongst the masks. Allen, Krory, Bookman and Lenalee were quickly outside just as the clear night sky became cloudy.

But the akuma, which I realized was a level three as the least of our worries as the sky began to rain… purple blood bullets from an akuma!

OH SHIT!

I dived under the stairs as the first wave come spiraling down towards the ship and I watched through the cracks in the stairs as the exorcists literally jumped into action.

Allen took off to aid Lavi with dealing with the unwelcome company while Lenalee and Krory went to investigate above the clouds. Bookman stayed behind to help keep the ship in as much stable condition so that it still worked.

I entwined my fingers together and prayed… though I don't believe in any higher being, just plain human spirit that we'd fucking get out of this alive. Then our worst fears, a level four!

I stayed where I was, there was nothing I could do, I wasn't an exorcist as I sat rooted to the wooden deck as all hell broke loose around me. Crewmen were dying their agonizing screams filled my head with pain and sorrow. I couldn't help them at all!

Please, just please let us get through this…

Suddenly I heard two heavy thuds as to figures were flung violently against the deck and I noticed that they were Allen and Lavi. The level four was hovering over the side of the ship looking ready to attack.

Beats me why, but the next thing I knew was that I was standing between them and the akuma… fuck it all, what was I doing? I want to go home, see my parents and annoying brother. I want to gossip with my friends and nag the teachers about homework.

'STOP IT!' I heard myself scream subconsciously and for a second, the akuma paused blinking in confusion before it quickly disappeared and the level four summoned a large orb of dark matter.

I braced myself waiting for the agony to split through my sides, for my insides to be scattered over the deck. But what actually happened surprised even me was that it… disappeared?

That huge purple ball of light gone but I felt completely drained for some odd reason as I slumped onto the ground, zooming in and out of consciousness.

The last thing I remembered was the slim figure of Lenalee coming down and hitting the stunted level four into the water before blackness swallowed me.

….

_I woke to complete darkness, it was just black all around me but I couldn't dwell on where I was for long as I saw myself staring at… myself? I shook my head and looked carefully at the small child._

_That was I; there was no mistaking it, the long turquoise blue hair and the same lilac eyes. I was standing there wearing a simple dress of ivory tiny purple flowers entwined in my hair and brown sandals on my feet. My small hand firmly was in the grip of a man that seemed strange yet very familiar. _

_We were walking together, and making small talk as we went, words I couldn't hear or even remember saying._

_He wasn't my father but he was unlike anyone I had known before in my life… wait a second…_

_I blinked at the small 'me' was gone replaced with other image of me probably around thirteen twirling around with waist long hair and plaits trailing from behind my ears. _

_This was 'I', my smile bright despite the sepia coloured background but I was wearing a long skirt brushing around my ankles and a crop top revealing my slim waist and hips. _

'_Maybe when this is over, we can watch the flowers bloom,' She, I mean I said my hand holding out flowers to someone standing behind me. I glanced around and saw the man again, his face obscured like before. _

'_Maybe…' was his only reply then it faded like the first. _

_The blackness then gave way to dim lights; I was watching myself again as a young woman probably about twenty. She was kneeling in front of a lake over looking a white Mediterranean city, I looked as if I was in the middle of some prayer before she looked up and gazed at the man with haunting eyes._

'_Why does war have to be so?' she was weeping, I hadn't noticed from the distance I was standing from her but I couldn't move any closer… not that I wanted to as I slowly raised my hand and felt that my cheeks too were wet with tears._

'_Fighting is always hideous, it brings out the horrors that truly are human, Lilith,' the man walked up to the other 'me' and put his hands on his shoulders. I can vaguely feel them on my own, warm and reassuring. I reached up to my shoulder just as the young woman was doing at the same time._

_A mirror image…_

'_But we're human too, Adam, remember that,' the man, Adam, looked taken back as the woman, me, stood up and strolled gracefully away my long skirt rustling as the woman hurried away._

_Everything went black again… my head was confused._

_No, this wasn't right, I'm Lillian, and I was born in the year 1995 and have an annoying older brother with an uptight attitude. _

_I have two friends, Hailey and Mitch and we would hang out at the candy store just to agitate the Asian shopkeeper who thought we might steal something. _

_I went to Dankern Secondary College and it was my eleventh year in school! _

_No, no, NO, NO, NO!_

_This isn't right._

'_Memories, they can be easily forgotten and easily remembered…'_

_Shut up…_

'_We all have regrets… this is mine…' _

_Please I don't want to see anymore… I want to wake up…_

'_Just this burden plagues me… please understand… Adam,'_

….

'Hyaa!' I shrieked as I bolted awake, several pairs of eyes fell on me. I could feel the cold sweat dropping from my forehead as my heart raced violently in my chest.

'Something wrong, Lillian,' why'd you call me…? No, wait, that is my name!

'Just a bad dream nothing wrong,' yet, I added silently as I slowly came to acknowledge where I had woken up. I was on a small boat with Lavi, Bookman, Krory, Allen and Lenalee and three faces I was unfamiliar with but I had seen them in Anita's crew.

'W-where are the others?' I managed to ask, as a disturbing silence seemed to answer me more clearly than words ever could… they were dead. I gripped the blanket that had fallen into my lap tightly.

'Your lucky to have survived miss, cho,' I blinked and stared at the back of the boat seeing a yellow thing looking at me I panicked and latched onto the closest person to me. Unfortunately, it had to be Lavi.

'A-an akuma?!' I was panicking and it must have looked pretty pathetic because it somehow lightened the atmosphere around the exorcists.

'Yes, I'm an akuma, but I was altered by Cross-sama,' the akuma replied as I frowned.

'Cross-sama? Wait is that General Cross?'

….

**Author's Note:**

**Whoops sorry for a late up date but… oh well at least I got this up.**

**Please review about anything considering this story! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen:

We landed on the coast of Japan shortly after I woke up, I had learned the fate of the rest of the crew that had came with us and it really made me sad and wonder why I wasn't with them?

That orb had hit me, didn't it?

I shook my head and pulled the hood further down my face, I didn't want any of them to see the confusion in my face. It would only bother me more if they did. I sighed heavily as we made our way up a flight of stairs.

The akuma, which Lavi had conveniently called Chomesuke, led the way in its human form. She was rather pretty and Lavi's reaction only proved my theory but Bookman quickly put him in his place.

'Most of Japan's population is akuma, I would be surprised if there are any human's left,' Chomesuke explained to us as I noticed Allen's weary movements as he clutched the left-side of his face with his hand.

I presumed his eye was playing up because of the number of akuma in the area and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He beamed a false smile my way but I tried not to look unconvinced by it.

'I'm not surprised, Japan is an isolated nation preferring to keep to themselves rather than deal with outsiders,' I was impressed by the knowledge old man possessed.

'Exactly, it is the perfect place for the Earl to create akuma he even runs the government in Japan,' I winced when she said that. The Millennium Earl seemed to be this impossibly powerful being that I began to wonder if the exorcists around me could even hold an even ground against such a person… if he was a person?

'So you're saying that we have to go into Japan, find Cross and get the hell out,' I spoke my unease as Allen snickered at me as if he found something I had said amusing.

'Unlikely, Master is one stubborn bull when it comes to the Order,' despite the smile, it didn't seem high or even a good attempt at one and I presumed that Cross wasn't Allen's favorite person… Ugh, I already know that!

'Kawamura-chan! I'm so glad you're here, I didn't know how long I was going to last,' Chomesuke rushed ahead of us to a woman staggering towards us but I sensed something was very wrong.

'Chomesuke!' I rushed towards her and pulled her away quickly just as something shot out of nowhere and skewered Kawamura and pulled her up the stairs quickly.

We didn't need Allen's eye to tell us what happened as three shadows trailed down the stairs towards us dragging Chomesuke's friend behind them. She didn't seem alive but I knew she was still breathing but I had a bad feeling that she wouldn't live for much longer.

'Look what we found~'

'A bunch of humans~'

I swallowed dryly and stepped protectively in front of Chomesuke. She was unfortunately our only surviving guide and if she went we would be completely lost.

'Wait a sec, I think I saw the rose cross?'

'The Black Order emblem?'

Before they could react, Allen rushed at them and attacked them before they could finish.

'GO, I'll fend them off,' he called to us as he drove the akuma back with a swipe of his black claw. I grimaced as I saw the burning rage in Lenalee's face.

'No, we're all going or we're all staying Allen,' I saw the stare that Allen gave us and I understood exactly what to do. If we stayed any longer the fighting might attract more akuma and then there as no escape for any of us as Chomesuke gestured for us to follow her down a side path.

'Lenalee, just go with them,' I said as she tried to stay behind.

'No, Lillian we can't leave him,'

'You have to,' I wasn't even in the mood for arguing because Lenalee was being a difficult brat to deal with.

'Allen knows what he's doing, I'll even stay behind so he knows where to go,' I hinted to her about his lack of direction and she nodded with tear-filled eyes before Lavi picked her up and carried her after Chomesuke and the others.

I quickly took cover behind a pillar. I knew I couldn't do anything but I could at least see what I could do as I studied the movements of each akuma. They were all level three and very strong even for their level, seemingly possessing more than two abilities.

One had antlers rising from the back of their helmet like a buck's while another possessed straight-like hair and a simple horned helmet.

I gritted my teeth as Allen did his best to evade and attack the two akuma circling around him like a pair of wolves would do to a lamb. But this lamb was not defenseless as Allen managed to deter several blows using his innocence with as much skill as I had seen him use.

'This one's a pain,' one grumbled almost looking eagerly towards where the others had disappeared. That small movement distracted Allen and the akuma were able to overwhelm him with just the worry of his friends.

Looks like I better jump in…

I bent down and grabbed two large looking stones and ran out of my hiding place hurling them so that they hit the backs of their heads simultaneously.

'What was that?'

'Oh goody, looks like one stayed behind,' I watched the akuma turn their attention to me but their grip didn't seem to loosen on Allen but he didn't he best to struggle at least.

Then one of them summoned something that looked like a web and flung it at me like it was some sort of net. I managed to dodge it in time and picked up another few stones and hurled them at the level threes.

'Lillian, stop it, just get away,' Allen called to me but I glared at him.

'I promised Lenalee that I'd get you to them… I won't fail!' Unfortunately when I said this, it kind of distracted me and I felt I dark presence looming behind me. I glanced around to see the akuma before it breathed something rather nasty onto me.

I coughed as the haze surrounded me, but I felt no pain or whatever it was, it wasn't affecting me at all. Not like the akuma knew that.

'Don't expect your friend to come out of that alive,'

'Any human who breathes in the gas will burn to dust, almost like shooting them~'

'Well, then I'm neither!' I shouted launching myself at one of the akuma's and gripped their armory arm as they jumped in surprise and disbelief. This allowed Allen the time to loosen from their grip and finish them off.

'But how…?' I waved the question off.

'Don't ask me, I have no idea,' it had happened a couple of times, in a matter of speaking. This reminded me of the numerous times I had come out of certain things alive and well.

….

Allen and I caught up to the rest of the group as we neared the city of Edo, Japan's capital and just as we were about to enter. Chomesuke started to act strange, her body was convulsing and her eyes glazed in inky blackness that almost made me afraid of her.

'What's wrong?' Lavi was quick to ask.

'Earl-sama… he's calling all the akuma… here… we shouldn't… stay…'

'We're not leaving Chomesuke, we came to retrieve General Cross and we'll complete this mission,' Lenalee said determinedly but I had other ideas. I had to agree with the akuma on this one, we had no idea how many akuma-populated Japan numerically and that could prove a major problem for us, especially the exorcists who would have to fight them.

'But you'll die,' she stammered with worry but Lavi placed his hand on her head and smiled at her.

'Don't worry, no matter the odds, we'll fight, who knows, we might be able to turn the tables,' I slapped my forehead but didn't say anything.

Lavi you idiot!

'So we go,' I really didn't agree with any of this especially after seeing how powerful even those level threes were.

….

When we finally arrived in Edo, we quickly took shelter in a storage shack on the outskirts of town. It had a pretty good view of Edo; I had to admit as I gazed out the window. The exorcists were behind me watching as the dark night sky filled with purple lights.

The scene seemed very familiar to me as my eyes fell on the rising tower in the middle of Edo.

'The Earl's here,' I heard Lenalee, I think, say as I leaned against the windowpane with my elbow and sighed. Problem after problem but know I was finally going to meet this man they all called the Millennium Earl.

It was funny, unlike those behind me, I kind of felt excited, and with everything I had heard I really wanted to see whom this person looked like but just then a great booming voice filled the cool night air.

'Hello my dear children!' The exorcists behind me froze but I didn't want to turn around and see it, it could be felt in the air of the shack.

'We have to drag those who defy us into the murky depths till they beg their God for mercy,' I shivered, the murderous in that was shocking as I turned to look at the exorcists only see that they seemed to be planning something that I didn't even want to know.

'So my precious akuma, go and kill the Generals!'

The roof of our shack exploded and Lavi's fiery snake spiraled towards the tower, crashing into whoever was there. I winced because that would mean that they would know specifically where we were.

'You couldn't have been a bigger idiot if it were even possible!' I snarled at him with annoyance before I knew that basically the whole population of Japan was eyeing down on us.

Just great!

….

The battle began before I could even comprehend what was what! The akuma were flying above the air as Krory, Allen, Lavi and Bookman bounded off to keep the akuma from reaching us. I was left with Lenalee, Chomesuke and the three surviving sailors whom I couldn't be bothered learning their names.

Lenalee was advised against fighting since she was still recovering from her injures from the battle previously held on the ship. We all watched helplessly as the exorcists started to grow tired.

I knew this wasn't good for us but it only got much worse.

'Lady Exorcist!' I spun around as saw that a tall man with grey skin and golden eyes had somehow appeared out of nowhere. He seemed pretty cute but I knew that he was the enemy but the hostility the sailors showed him.

'Hey, haven't we met before in Barcelona?' I quizzed because the guy indeed looked like the one that almost killed Daisya. The man looked at me briefly before narrowing his eyes.

'And you're the finder that interrupted my kill, sure,' He began backing off, holding Lenalee firmly around the neck. He looked to me as if he was going to retreated.

'Do not take Lenalee, you bastard!' I shouted at him as I ran up to him, he dodged me though probably because of what happened last time… he seemed almost cautious about me attacking him.

One of the sailors, the idiot, went to punch the man but his hand went straight through. Well that was puzzling indeed.

The man looked over his shoulder at the sailor before knocking him back with a powerful blow and turned to me.

'I have no idea who you are, but the fact you are able to negate my ability is suspicious,' I frowned at him because, one, I had no idea what he was hinting at and secondly, I would gladly like to find out who I am!

I gritted my teeth, now wasn't the time to even think about that. I needed to rescue Lenalee and quick but how?

….

**(Sighs) I'm finally getting somewhere and I am excited!**

**Please REVIEW! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen:

This Noah stood before me; eyeing me as if I would random pull some rabbit out of a hat… maybe I'm over exaggerating here but serious. The guy was slightly creepy.

I rushed towards him and picked up the nearest object I could and swung it at him. But he used Lenalee as a shield and I was forced to stop the blow before it could hurt her more.

This was not fair at all, I for one never had any fighting ability… well there was a time I chased my brother down with a pair of garden clippers because he dropped a sack of pine cones on my head – but this was something else!

This situation was bad as I can up towards him, my mind flashing towards the way Kanda held his sword… Beats me what made me think but I began to mimic the movements he used and managed to bypass Lenalee and catch him off guard.

Unfortunately, he managed to block it with his arm. He did not look pleased at all as he jumped beyond my reach and stood in the air. Fucking hell!

'Hmm, despite being a finder, you have the ability to fight?' He seemed to be questioning himself more than me as I frowned at him before smirking.

'Well, I'm not the fighting type but observing others I can pick it up,' I said coolly as I tried to step forward.

'Stay back, idiot!' I was glad to do that as I saw the familiar streak of long dark hair tied in a ponytail rush past me and towards the Noah. It was one of the last people I had expected to see again, Kanda Yuu.

I watched as Kanda did the exact it moves I had done before but much quicker than me before the Noah was quick to retreat, throwing Lenalee down as he did so.

'Lenalee!' I called to her as Kanda landed back down on the ground and I checked to see if she was all right. She was, thank goodness but Kanda quickly rushed off before I could thank him.

'I'm all right,' she kept saying to me but I knew she was slightly shaking and most likely angry with herself. It seemed like Lenalee wasn't used to feeling so defenseless before being an exorcists and everything.

'You are not, you may be an exorcist but you still are human,' I said to her as she looked at me shaking her head.

'But I have to fight, I have to…' I shook my head pointlessly, I knew there was no way to convince her otherwise as Lavi landed beside us looking as energetic as usual despite the massive of cuts, abrasions and bruised decorating every exposed part of his body.

'I'm glad that Yuu and his group showed up, we really need the help,' I nodded in agreement but my eyes wondered over to the tall tower in the middle of Edo, the place that were surrounded by giants large than it. There was a glowing purple orb hovering somewhere in between.

'What's that?' I called out pointing to it before the orb enlarged.

'YOU INSOLENT FOOLS!' It was the same voice that had made that speech to the akuma and I knew that it was the Millennium Earl.

'Look out!' was Lavi's brisk reply as he made a move to protect both Lenalee and I. I knew I couldn't do anything but close my eyes and cower and hope I would be able to open them again.

What else was I suppose to do? The attack was powerful enough to blow us off our feet but I felt the warm presence of fur and when I had the courage to look… flatten the entire city of Edo!

Fuck, was I dizzy trying to process this information. One moment I was with Lavi and Lenalee and now I had no idea where they were as I sat alone in a barren landscape with a hovering tower in the sky.

'Ow, Lillian, do you mind getting off me?' I blinked for a second as I glanced down at the person who I as perched on top of. Silver eyes met mine and I quickly jumped off.

'I'm sorry, Allen,' I said quickly as Allen grumbled and rubbed the back of his head, probably where his head hit the glistening black ground.

'No, no it's alright, you couldn't stop yourself,' he said as he gazed around us. I did the same and was glad that I saw that Kanda (obviously) and Lavi getting to their feet slowly and was glad that they were okay.

I also saw a yellow semi hemisphere protruding from the ground. I wasn't sure want that was but Allen seemed to have an idea.

'Looks like Miranda's here as well,' he seemed very relieved because when the sphere dispersed Bookman, Krory and the three sailors were also there.

'Thank goodness,' I murmured with relief before my eyesight flickered towards a green crystal seemingly growing from the ground.

'What's…?'

'Lenalee! This isn't good,' But as soon as Allen said that the Noah made a move and I was left confused.

'What's happening?' I called chasing after Allen much to his dismay.

'We believe that Lenalee could possibly be the heart… shit!' Allen evaded the attack of a giant akuma and continued running towards Lenalee as I slowed down. Kanda and Lavi were each preoccupied with a Noah while I saw the Millennium Earl floated down towards the crystal.

Oh no!

I ran again, not like I could do anything and I wasn't sure that I even cared. Suddenly a blur of white stopped me from preceding any further and I knew exactly who it was.

'Keko!' I flung my arms around the fox's neck but it looked as if he was expecting that and dashed quickly away from Lenalee just when Allen engaged the Earl.

I watched helplessly but a heavy sadness filled my chest… Why?

…

Keko took me away from the battlefield and then before I knew it, everyone was there, Kanda, Krory, Lavi, Bookman, the three sailors, the Miranda woman and even General Tiedoll. But I was much thankful that Allen and Lenalee came out of the confrontation of the Earl unharmed… maybe not so much that but at least they were alive.

'Geez Lenalee, why did you have to worry us so much?' Lavi joked as Lenalee pouted in protest as she rested after being inside a crystal. I didn't care about the friendliness that was shown there, I was just glad that I was holding Keko again. The albino was in his small fluffy self again as I nuzzled it with much relief.

'Just be glad we're all together again,' I laughed as Lavi kept pestering Kanda and irritating him further. I received some funny looks.

'You're just glad you got to see that animal again,' Kanda snorted as Keko growled next to my ear and I put him down.

'That maybe so but we should enjoy the small moments of peace together,' I really do know how to jinx us because as soon as I had said that, some sort of portal appeared underneath Lenalee and she fell threw.

Soon Allen followed, Kanda, Krory, Lavi and even one of the sailors. I tried to stop them but they all disappeared throw that portal. I turned and dug my fingers into Keko's white fur for some sort of reassurance but it was short lived.

'Akuma! Forty… maybe heading our way,' came Marie's urgent voice as the rest of us that remained hurried out to see the giant akuma stalking towards us on the horizon.

'Kie, Lillian and Luke, stay with Miranda while Marie, Bookman, Keko and I deal with our visitors,' I clasped my hand over my heart, I didn't know how the General could stay so calm and composed during times like these and it still made me wondered.

I watched the exorcists step out from the cover of the bridge readying to face the giants descending upon us. But I couldn't stop worrying about Allen and the others, where did they go?

Well I didn't have to wait long to wonder as the sky exploded and a white cube hovered above our heads.

'What's that?'

'Ark…' I muttered, it escaped my lips before I had even thought of the word and it earned me a strange glare from Bookman.

'It's the legendary Noah's Ark, I wonder if they were sent there?' Bookman spoke up as I stared up at it. The feeling of unease settle over me like a cloud, I was beginning to get a very bad feeling.

…

**Wow, this was slightly hard to write since I wasn't sure whether to have my OC go to the Ark or not so I just left her on the ground but there will still be action in the next chapter!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty:

The giant akuma were upon us within a matter of seconds and I watched helplessly as the exorcists went into action. There was nothing to do but watch. It was a pain, an agonizing pain to watch them since there were now fewer of them to fight the oncoming mass as I slowly sank to my knees.

Please, if there is some sort of higher being out there, protect Allen and the others…

I never used to pray but right now that was all I could do as I clasped my hands together and just prayed. It didn't go to anyone in particular since I never had been one to worship a God but even so.

Praying at least made it feel like I was doing something other than watching.

The ground rocked and I broke out of my trance staring at where the severed arm of a giant akuma lay over the bridge. I gulped nervously and decided to glance at what was happening, if we were losing or just barely making it through.

Thankfully General Tiedoll looked as if his innocence was a rather useful one, creating multi giant beings to counteract the akuma giants. Marie was able to keep them at bay by spinning his invisible strings around the giants and playing sweet music that must have been painful due to the cries of pain.

I winced as I saw a beam of purple light coming straight towards the bridge but Keko intervened and deterred it in another direction.

'Thanks Keko,' I shouted to him as he flicked his head towards me in acknowledgement before bounding up the leg of another giant akuma.

Soon my eyes wondered to the white cube hovering in the sky that was breaking away like puzzle pieces and a heavy sense of dread filled my heart. Why was I feeling this uneasy? I knew there had to be a perfect explanation for it as the ground shook once again and I lost my footing and fell back onto the dusty ground.

'Lady Exorcist, please hold on,' the voices of the sailors drew me away from the horror of the battlefield to where Miranda was leaning against the wall looking rather awful.

'What's wrong?' I asked anxiously but to be honest, I didn't want an answer to that because it was clearly evident that it had something to do with her innocence.

'I-I felt someone's time d-disappear,' I froze when those words came out and cursed for having to ask that fucking question. I knew she was talking about Allen, Kanda, Lenalee, Lavi, Krory or the sailor that were most likely taken to the Ark that was now hovering over us in the sky.

I stumbled to grab the wall because handling the truth of her words was frightening. No it couldn't be true… Allen and the rest wouldn't have fallen that easily.

Sliding down the wall I gathered my knees and leaned my dizzy head against them before closing my eyes.

….

_I must have fallen asleep again because I could no longer hear the echoes of the fight happening around me. It was the opposite, quiet and the air felt intense for no strange reason as I dared to open my eyes. _

_It was funny opening them because I was lying in my bed back at home, snuggled underneath my covers with my electric blanket on at full blast but it didn't bother me. My desk was just how I had left it before I had mysteriously ended up in that world full of akuma and exorcists and Noah. _

_Laughing, I stood up and strolled around my well-lit room trying to understand whether or not it was real or a dream. _

'_Lillian, breakfast's ready!' a familiar cry came from my bedroom door and the aroma of fried eggs and bacon hits me like a baseball bat. _

_Mum… it was mum's cooking, I could easily distinguish it from Jerry's. That savory spiciness she added and the way she cooked the egg could never have been replaced by anything on my desired menu of foods that I liked to eat._

'_Coming!' I called cheerfully, this had to be real, and everything I had went through with Allen and Lenalee were just a strange dream. _

'_Oi, hurry up already, or else we'll eat with out you,' I recognized my brother's impatient gruff as I entered the kitchen to see him sitting at the table with a steaming plate of bacon and eggs in front of him. _

_My mouth watered as I sat down in front of my own plate of food._

'_I had this strange dream last night,' I began as I tucked into my food, the bacon was salty and crisp, the egg was runny and slimy against my tongue. I paused for a moment to savor the flavors singing in my mouth._

'_Hmm, what of dear?' my mother asked as she gazed at me with slight interest as I continued on. _

'_Well they were this organization calling themselves the Black Order and they were fighting against the Family of Noah and the akuma. They're led by this big man with pointy ears and a permanent grin and his called the Millennium Earl…'_

'_May be you did eat too much sugar last night,' I kicked my brother under the table for that as he snickered through the pain. _

'_Yeah and I joined the Order as a finder and I was traveling around with these exorcists, Lavi, Kanda and Allen, oh there was also Lenalee, she was so pretty and it was a shame it was seared because of the attack on the ship on our way to Edo,' I said, my blabbing seemed to start freaking them out as I paused for a second before taking a deep breath._

'_Then Lenalee, Allen, Kanda and Lavi fell through this portal and they ended up on the Noah's Ark! While me and the rest of the exorcists waited for them under a bridge being besieged by skyscraper high akuma,' _

'… _Don't let me doubt you're imagination again, Lil,' my brother coughed dryly as he skulled his glass of juice before I could even voice a protest. _

'_Maybe, you're not feeling alright,' my mother was leaning across the table to place her hand against my forehead to feel for a temperature. I shuffled away from her. _

'_Yes, I'm fine but too be honest, it seemed to real and I've started to… doubt this life,' my father dropped his piece of bacon as he stared at me, mouth wide open that I thought I fly might fly in. _

'_Lillian, this is reality, maybe you've been reading to much fantasy novels,' I gazed at my fingers knitting into each other… frankly, I never did recall seeing any baby pictures of me in my family albums but they would always say that I was cute as a baby? _

'_No…' I whispered in a low voice as I slowly stood up from the table, 'this is a dream.'_

'_How can you say that Lillian?' My mother sounded very angry as she slammed her fists against the tabletop. Her knuckles were as white as her face was red. _

'_It's just that… can't you hear the sounds coming from outside?' I asked as I began to pick up the exact same noise I had been hearing before I fell asleep under the bridge. _

'_That's just our neighbor doing some spring cleaning,' my father growled as the newspaper in his hands began to tear from the tension he was giving to them._

'_It was summer when I left here and ended up in the snow in Britain! This is a lie, you're a lie and I've fallen for this for a very long time!' My words seemed to anger my 'family' to the point that they were beginning to wear twisted grins on their faces and their eyes were just white glowing orbs._

'_**Foolish child of Memories, did it take you all this time to figure out your true calling**?' I stumbled back as my mother, father and brother stretched into lengthy shadows and tendril-like fingers went to grab me. _

'_Go away!' a snatched my arm from them and began to run as the walls of my 'home' crumbled around me. If this were just a dream, I would wake up right?_

'_**You can't run, child, this is after all, your own suppressed subconscious**…' the voices, they were laughing at me, tauntingly and I hated them for it as I tried my hardest to will myself awake._

'_Leave me alone, if this is my subconscious, you get out!' I shouted at them as I continued to run endlessly towards blackness. _

'_**Hahah… I you trying to get rid of us, Lilith, you know you can't… you need us**…'_

'_No I don't, just go away, I order you to leave me alone!'_

'_**NO!**'_

'_Yes! Just disappear!' I screamed but I tripped over nothingness and fell harshly on whatever hard floor this was. _

'_If you ever need me, just call my name…' _

_A voice, it wasn't like those others that were gaining on me somewhere in the darkness it was just like that man's voice in my dreams besides my older self. _

'_**You'll never be rid of us, child of Memories**!' _

_I blinked around me but I still couldn't see them._

'… _Just call my name…_'

_I took a deep breath…_

'_ADAM!'_

….

I woke in a cold sweat with General Tiedoll and Keko staring down at me with worry in their expressions. I tried to sit up but my head was throbbing like there was no tomorrow.

'Are you alright Lillian?' Lillian? Ah yes that's right… I'm Lillian.

'Yeah I'm fine, just a very bad dream,' I tried to laugh it off before realizing that Allen and the others still weren't accounted for.

'Where are the others?' I cried out despite the pain in my head. Tiedoll looked as if he was trying to reassure me but I wasn't taking any of it as I grabbed onto Keko's scruff and walked out from under the bride. The sky above us was illuminating as bright as the sun while the grand cube of the Ark had disintegrated to the point I worried that Allen, Lenalee, Kanda, Krory and the others would not make it out alive.

'No…' my whisper was wavering and barely a whisper as I sank to my knees, tears threatening to fall from my eyes as the sky began to slowly close up on the broken Ark.

I didn't want it to go, not with all the people that I have grown such a bond with over these last few months.

I just want us all to go home, back to the Order. The tears that threatened finally fell from my eyes.

'Please… please don't go,' I sobbed into Keko's soft white fur before the gentle sounds of music reached my ears. I stopped mid-sob and glanced up to find that the sky had stopped and as if it had heard my wish. The Ark was slowly reforming before our eyes.

'The Ark… but how?' the others were just as baffled as I was as I stood up and watched as the Ark slowly appeared before us as a glowing white city that you would find on the Mediterranean coast.

'Oi!' a voice called out as some sort of gate opened before us and a familiar redhead jumped out with a dorky grin on his face.

'The missing time… it's coming back!' Miranda was sobbing like a leaking tap but I didn't care as a familiar white head jumped out after Lavi.

'Allen!' I called out as I run to him and threw my arms around him. He seemed surprised by my reaction but seemed glad to see me too.

'Come on, let's go home,' Well I couldn't agree more with that!

….

**Author's Note:**

**Jesus that took forever to write but I hope this is good enough to read!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One:

I was gob smacked… wait that would be an understatement here because I was thinking that I had finally lost the plot. After entering the Ark, I was faced with a very familiar appearance of a white Mediterranean town, the exactly same as one of my dreams.

Please tell me I'm not finally losing it…

'Whoa, Lily, you look as if you've seen a ghost,' I kicked Lavi in the shins for that as he yelp and began hopping around like the rabbit he was.

'That is not so!' I stammered at him as he waved his hands in defense.

'Come on I was only joking,' Lavi laughed despite the pain stinging in his lower legs. I shook my head violently and stormed off, I really didn't want to be around anyone at the moment with my head as jumbled up as this.

It was nice to finally have time on my own and with the scenery as lovely as this, it felt like a holiday, well it would have if it hadn't been for that dream I had before. Why did it startle me? Heh, frankly I just found out that my family was not actually my family… Why did I believe it were so?

'Ugh!' I ruffled my hair as I sighed my frustration to the blue sky and flock of white birds. I was hoping no one else heard me as I continued to wonder up the street trying to calmly not think anymore about that stupid dream.

Pausing I stared at the vivid flowers and ran my fingers over its silky petals. Pink, yellow, white and blue, it truly was a beautiful set of colours to grow in a vase on the sidewalk of a place like this.

'You're knew,'

'HYAA!' I instinctively grabbed the vase and swung it at whoever was behind my, I got him in the stomach as he curled over with a painful grunt. I quickly dropped the vase and stared at the man I had never seen before.

'Ah… ah? I'm sorry,' I fretted as I tried to see if he was alright, luckily for me he was but he seemed slightly annoyed by my reaction.

'Were you really not paying attention?' he asked as he straightened up looking as if I had never hit him with a vase full of soil… wait… whoops there's dirt on his coat…?

'You're a General?' I exclaimed aloud as the man raised an eyebrow at me.

'Well at least I know you're not an idiot,'

'Shut up, you bastard,' I kicked him in the knee, honestly who cares if he was a General he was very rude!

'Lillian, what's wrong? We heard you scream!' came Lavi's voice as he and Allen bounded around the corner.

'Nothing's wrong but HE seems to like sneaking up on people,' I pointed at the General.

'She has good reflexes, I can tell you that,'

'You really need to learn self-control, Master,' Allen scorned at the older man as I blinked between the white head and the General in front of me. Hold on… if this were Allen's master then that would mean…?

'You're General Marian Cross!' I really must have sounded like a real idiot by my late realization.

'You may call me Cross,' he said to me with a slight bow

'Pleasant…' I muttered under my breath, after everything I heard about him, I was beginning to doubt that. Lavi giggled at my reply but only earned a sharp glare from the General.

The man then strolled right past them before grabbed Allen by the ear and dragging him along.

'A-Allen?'

'Come on idiot apprentice we should be heading back to headquarters, we've got a lot of injured people,' I looked at Lavi and he looked back at me and we shrugged in unison. I don't think I'll every get this…

….

We arrived back at headquarters when Allen summoned a gate from the Ark by playing a rather beautiful melody… it felt sad and regretful but I didn't voice my opinion as we all exited the Ark and Lenalee was pushed forward to hug her dear brother, Komui.

Then Miranda released her invocation and every obtained their injures. I almost flipped when I saw each of them go down with blood running down the limbs and faces and their clothes getting tattered. I didn't leave their side and helped out where I could until I was sure that I had reassured myself that they were okay.

It took a while but Allen and Lavi were soon aloud out of the medical wing and I had someone else to hang around with.

'Yo, Lil, what's up?'

'Please just call me either Lily or Lillian because that makes me feel small,' I retorted dryly to Lavi as he laughed and went to ruffles my hair as if I was a kid. So I returned the favor by punching him in the guts.

'No need for violence,' he whined clutching his side.

'Then stop being a baka usagi!' I hissed before turning to Allen and smiled.

'How are you taking this?' I asked him, I had been hearing disturbing rumors lately that Allen and Marian Cross could be on the Earl's side just because of their knowledge of the Ark. I hated gossip, especially when it was about someone I had grown fond of…

It seemed that Allen was a bit scatterbrained it didn't seem to take any hints to what I was specifically talking about.

'I'm fine, nothing to worry about,' he was lying, I could tell, his smile was faked because, as a wise man once said, 'the eye is a window into the soul'.

'Right?' I replied with a smile that could best his façade any day and we wondered down towards the science department where the scientists were busy working around a large object that looked like a blue egg.

'What's that?' I gapped at it as we stared at it from across the yellow-black tap and a sign saying 'scientists only'.

'Oh hi Allen, Lillian and Lavi,' Reever came over to us from a group of scientists.

'Hi Reever, long time no see,' I said as I leaned over the barrier, he must have been scowling at me but it didn't easily show.

'What's going on here?'

'Well we thought that it would be good to experiment with the akuma egg, you know get to know about the akuma,' I felt slightly annoyed at this for some reason.

'There are three basic things to know about akuma… machine, soul and tragedy, understand that and we don't need to do this, what would the Noah think?' I must have startled them with my words as I blinked and laughed uneasily.

'B-but, if you want to do that, it's your choice,' I said as Reever gave me a funny look and went back to work.

'What is wrong with you lately?' Lavi asked seemingly playfully as he held his hand against my forehead… the same gesture as my 'mother' did. I quickly slapped it away and stared at the egg… it seemed to be breathing… beating like a heart.

'Nothing's wrong… but I've begun to doubt everything I had once known…'

….

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry if this is short but I'll leave it here for now…**

**Please REVIEW and I'll update soon!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two:

I was wondering down the corridors because I couldn't really bother to go back to sleep, I just keep hearing that same melody I heard back during the fight under the Ark.

It was repetitive and haunting that I found it literally hard to fall asleep entirely. It really did bother me but I couldn't really put a finger on why I was feeling so bothered.

'You will answer my questions, Marian!' I almost jumped out of my skin as the voice lashed at me through a closed door. I turned on my foot and leaned my ear against the door. It sounded like some sort of meeting was being held.

'What? I never thought I'd hear you say Fourteenth, Inspector,' I knew that was the General as I heard some sort of snickering.

'So you're not denying it? Well then you wouldn't mind explaining Allen Walker's involvement with this individual,' I froze, waiting for a response… who was this Fourteenth, it didn't ring any bells of any sorts and it worried me that Allen was somehow involved in this.

'Inspector, I'd like you to explain who this Fourteenth Noah is…' That was the head supervisor talking, his voice sounded hasty and worried.

'Then I'll begin…'

'NO, I want you to give a written report to all Branch heads and explain in writing,' I never thought I'd hear Komui so afraid before but that would be because I've only know the man for a short amount of time and I tried my best to hear more.

'You can investigate all you want Inspector… then you can make your decision on what to do with the brat,' I flared with rage as General Cross spoke up.

'Very well,' that bastard…

I backed away from the door my heart racing as I heard chairs move from the other side of the door. Then I grabbed the nearest pot and as soon as I saw Marian's tall form and smashed it right at him.

'You jerk! How could you do that to your own apprentice?' I shouted at him, shocking many of the people who were coming out of the meeting.

'You really do like chucking pots full of dirt around,' the General grumbled as he brushed off the soil and flowers from his coat. I didn't relax my fury that I knew was clearly expressed in my face.

'And who might you be?'

'Lillian, I'm a finder and a close friend of Allen's,' I replied dryly as a man with frightfully narrow eyes filled with scorn. It was hard not to flinch in his presence but I made my snooping known and I was paying the price.

'I'd be glad that you don't repeat anything that you've heard till there has been a full report given,' the man said as I matched his gaze as best I could before running off before he had anymore orders.

….

I later found Allen the next day, gorging his face as usual looking as naïve as ever. It was really hard to keep a straight face while looking at him but at least he should know.

'Allen…' I began to speak till a tall figure stood next to me making me jump at his sudden appearance. Allen and I were left to gawk at this man, probably about nineteen holding a plate of what looked to be a delicious tart.

'Um…'

'Hi I'm Howard Link and I'll be supervising you… here is a pumpkin pie I made,' I watched Allen's eyes bulge before he made a move to devour the cake. Me… I snatched it away just in time.

'Are you an idiot? The guy said he was going to watch you,' I exclaimed at him as Allen frowned at me in confusion.

'But I want to try the pie…' he complained as I quickly shook my head and went to hand the pie back to Howard Link… but the man ended up wearing it all over his shirt.

'Ah, sorry I didn't mean for that to happen,' I panicked grabbing the nearest napkin while I heard a familiar laugh come from an approaching redhead.

'You really can be a klutz Lily,' Lavi said to me as Link grabbed the napkin from me and brushed most of the pie off.

'S-shut up idiot, it was an accident!'

'Sure it was,' I really did hate that redheaded bookman when he was like this.

'Well after I get changed out of this shirt, Walker and I will head to the library and answer several questions,'

'Questions?' I asked but soon regretted it when Link dumped a pile as high as Komui's paperwork in front of Allen.

'Holy shit Allen, it's even in fine print,'

'Wait, when to I have to do this by?' Allen asked glancing at the questions.

'By tomorrow morning,' Allen looked like he was about to faint, I really did feel sorry for him as I glared at Link.

'Well at least make sure he gets a good nights sleep,' I spoke in a low voice just to get my message through to this blond boy.

….

Well Allen went to the library with Link and I was left to wonder around aimlessly again… maybe I should visit Lenalee and Miranda. But then though against it, Lenalee was not pleased with the way I hugged Allen before and I sighed with frustration.

I began to wonder down to see what the scientists were doing and found three people heading the same way.

'Are you heading for laboratory 5?' I asked them as I caught up. They looked at me with a brisk smile.

'Of course, we are geniuses when it comes to science,' I was forced to not roll my eyes at the man with the wavy blond hair.

'Oh be quite Bak, I don't want to hear how magnificently stupid you can be,' the only woman there said to Bak who frowned with annoyance.

'Not everyone can have my brilliant brain,' I slapped my forehead in utter dismay, these people must be Branch heads because they were wearing similar uniforms to Komui. Were Branch heads always like this?

'Anyway… Can I come with you?'

'A finder such as yourself cannot handle the complexity of a scientist's work,' I punched Bak for that… no one and I mean no one questions my intelligence!

'Wanna bet?' I hissed at him and he stepped back nervously and didn't say another word, probably fearing that I would hit him again if he did.

'Well you don't see many female finders in the Order,' the woman said as I beamed a proud smile at her.

'Not like I see a female Branch head,' she snickered.

'True enough, I'm Renee,' Renee introduced herself as I nodded and founded that we had finally arrived at the laboratory. But it occurred to me that the other branch head hadn't spoken a single word. I stared at his blank but alert expression as he scanned the laboratory as if he was some kind of predator.

It really did make me shiver uneasily as I stepped of the barrier to follow the Branch Heads only to trip foolishly over my own feet.

I grabbed onto the nearest thing… or person in this case and I saw the man in front of me warp slightly when I clasped my arms around him to balance myself. When I saw that I let go and stood back slightly.

'I'm s-sorry,' but I was still worried because through that warped space I saw a woman… a woman with grey skin and a curved figure. I was hoping the man didn't notice because I was praying that what I saw was just a gist of my imagination.

'Oi, scientists are only allowed here,' I saw Johnny run up to us after dumping a pile of boxes on the ground.

'We thought you might want extra hands,' Bak spoke up luckily not referring to himself as I nodded.

'I might not be a science genius but I can help move stuff around,' I offered, with a smile, which seemed to make Johnny hesitate.

'Um, well honestly we can handle this on our own besides we have a job to do…' as soon as he said that, blood was trialing down from the corners of his mouth as I gapped in horror and started at the man.

'I-it's true, you are one of them,' I was breathless with shock as I glanced behind me but something black was blocking the only exit to the laboratory. The man looked at me as the face slowly melted away and formed the face of the woman I had seen when I accidentally grabbed hold of 'him'.

'Perceptive… but it doesn't matter,' the woman with drew the long whip-like thing that had pierced Johnny and loosened the tie around her neck.

'My name is Lulubell and I'm the Noah of Lust,' I saw the scientists stare at her with fear as Bak and Renee made and effort to drag Johnny away from the Noah. I followed them slowly but my eyes were focused on the emerging shapes from the black mass covering the door.

'Our meeting may be short and your deaths swift but Master said it is polite to give formalities,' then the akuma swarmed at us.

….

**Author's Note:**

**And the action beginnings, this time I thought that Lillian should be in the action this time since she was left out of the Ark**

**Hope you enjoy**

**Please REVIEW!**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three:

They swarmed towards us as we struggled to get away from them; unfortunately not even running was enough to stop more than half of the scientists getting captured by the akuma. I watched them from my hiding spot under a bunch of machines I had no idea what they did.

I couldn't tell where the remainder of the scientists was but I was hoping that like me, they were also hiding somewhere and hopefully in a better position to help. But who was I to pray for that, the helplessness just made me frustrated.

The akuma were lining the men up side by side and it reminded me of animals ready for slaughter! Then I saw two strange figures emerge from the black wall… they were not human nor where they Noah or akuma but something else.

I shivered because despite their bulky robes their heads were grey demonic skulls that I had a really bad feeling about.

'Hurry, skull we only have a few moments before we depart,' Lulubell said as she was dropped down beside the Egg by one of the hovering akuma. Her face was full of relief and happiness as she gently caressed the side of the Egg, which slightly filled me with wonder.

Unfortunately, an agonizing scream echoed from the direction of the captured scientists and I was unlucky enough to look. One by one, the skull hovered over the men and seemed to do something against each scientist's head. Then with a paintbrush swished a quick black cross on their faces.

'Your brain is not suitable,' then the skull turned to a nearby hovering akuma… 'Dispose of him,'

'ARGH!' I covered my eyes with a squeak. The stinging approach of tears was creeping down my cheeks as the akuma stomped down on the poor scientist.

How… How could they do this?

I didn't want to watch anymore but another part of me did and I stared at the horror through the gaps of my fingers wishing for this all to stop.

Soon enough, one of the skulls did something else.

'Well, congratulations, you've passed… ON,' I covered my ears this time, the sound of the scientists scream was far worse then those who were not chosen as their body charred black and the skull seem to finish whatever spell was put in place.

Soon enough the 'once' scientist rose up like a hypnotized zombie and the black ash fell away to reveal another skull.

They're turning the smart ones into skulls!

BANG!

A gunshot rung out as I saw Reever try to deter the skull from making anyone else a skull but I knew he was a complete idiot, he was just a human against a bunch of monsters.

But being the person I am, I couldn't leave him alone against them as I rushed out of my hiding place.

'Reever, don't!' I called out to him as the skull proceeded to make him another skull before I wrapped my small hands around the spell-casting fingers. I winced as magic coursed through my body; it was like I was receiving some sort of electric shock.

Well at least it wasn't just me surprised by my own actions as the skull and Reever blinked as I finally let go and fell to my knees. I couldn't feel my hands but I really couldn't care less as I glared at the skull.

'Stop it, just go away, take the Egg and go but take nothing else!' The skull blinked at me; well I think it did anyway as if considering what I was saying.

'Skull, what's wrong?' The Noah called down as the skull shock his head.

'Hmm, nothing but the brat's being annoying,' Lulubell was left to glare at me but I didn't flinch away, there really wasn't anything to be afraid of except the akuma and these skulls.

'Fine, akuma dispose of her,' well that made me flinch as I clutched a fallen pipe near me and swung it out at the akuma that approached me. There was a sickening crack and it yelped backing off.

'Reever, we have to take cover!' I called to the scientist who still seemed to be processing everything. But it was too late as the akuma began to swarm around us and to be honest, it really did look like the end for the both of us until a white figure dropped down in front of us and destroyed the nearest akuma with a single swipe of his sword.

'Allen!' Reever and I called out in relief as Allen gave us a brief smile before turning to the thousands of akuma hovering above our heads. I then saw Bookman come from above us before I realized that a gate from the Ark had been opened.

'Go back into hiding, we'll deal with the akuma!' Allen said quickly before he and Bookman launched themselves at the akuma and Reever and I quickly made our way back to his fellow surviving scientists.

….

Reever and I retreated back and I was left to dread that there were only two exorcists defending us and going against about a thousand of akuma. That couldn't possibly be fair but in the end, what was fair about war? It was horrid and pitiful as I winced at the fighting that happened just on the other side.

I finally tempted a peek at the situation and I was beginning to regret it because my fears were realized. The massive swarm of akuma was quickly overwhelming Allen and Bookman and I knew it was only a matter of time before one of them was killed.

'Try and dismantle that equipment…' Reever and the remaining scientists were not giving up that easily much to my relief and doing what they do best. From what I could make out by the makeshift handiwork, they were trying to build a talisman.

It didn't seem to be the quality of the one I had used back in Barcelona but it was still something and we should be grateful for that.

I turned back to the battlefield and gasped aloud as Allen was smashed roughly into a balcony, it took almost all my will to stop myself from going to his aid. I mean, what was I going to do… talk them into stopping, oh please!

Gritting my teeth, I glanced at Reever but they were still working on that damned talisman… please hurry up…

'Got you, brat!'

'Allen!' Whoops that was too loud as I quickly ducked behind the large cylinder just as an akuma looked in our directions. The last I had seen was an akuma grabbing Allen roughly by the hair. This was very bad because I couldn't see Bookman anywhere!

I dared to stare back again and luckily I saw the familiar needles protruding from the akuma's hand before it let Allen got. I knew that it was Bookman and I almost cried out in relief but Allen's face stopped me. He seemed rather horrified!

Then I realized that Bookman was pinned to the wall, slowly becoming the substance of stone.

'Reever, hurry up!' I fretted but it seemed to only make the scientists panic more and I slightly regretted that as I ran from my hiding spot.

'Lillian, don't!' I heard Reever calls after me but the akuma were quickly closing in on Bookman, probably thinking about finishing the old man off for good. Honestly, I have no idea that I had this hero streak within me but something was telling that I could interfere as I jumped over the railing and used several akuma as stepping-stones much to their disbelief and annoyance.

'Bookman!' I called out as he eyed me as if I was a complete idiot and I guess he was right about that.

'What are you doing? You are not an exorcist,' Bookman said through stiff lips. I knew he was finding it difficult to speak but he seemed stubborn enough that he didn't seem to care at all.

'I'm a finder, I'm suppose to support the exorcists,'

'Your foolishness will get us both killed,' I ignored Bookman, I really never did get the chance to know him but he seemed to be quite the defiant type but there wasn't the time for that as an akuma approached with the intent of slashing me to ribbons.

'… True, I may not be an exorcist but I know I can do this…' I frowned in concentration as the large claw of the akuma came down and I grabbed it. There was a clash but nothing else as I held the claw above my head, surprised at how ridiculously strong the bastard was.

'What the…? How's a mere human doing this?' The akuma was shocked but it was very angry too as it knocked me away using its free hand and I smashed quite hard into the wall.

I coughed, a metallic taste filled my mouth but I didn't want to give up as I shrugged to get to my feet. My head was dizzy with the impact it had made with the ground so it was rather difficult to get my bearings but I knew one thing clear enough.

Allen had been knocked unconscious and was now hanging limply in the grasp of two akuma.

'Allen! Let him go,' I turned to Lulubell who seemed mildly surprised that I was still alive and kicking.

'Come to think of it, I heard Tyki mention a young girl able to negate his ability… was he by any chance talking about you?' I frowned because now it was my turn to feel very confused. I really didn't have any idea who this Tyki person was but I had a rough guess.

'The Noah that tried to kill Daisya?'

'So it is you…' she was giving me quite an inquisitive look and it made me shiver badly as she walked up slowly towards me. I couldn't really move much because of the attack the akuma did to me but I was conscious enough to scowl my disapproval of the situation.

'You're going to kill me, huh?' She seemed fairly amused, but only her gold eyes showed that, everything else was a straight as anything I had ever seen.

'… We'll take them both back… hurry skull we depart now,' I blinked in surprise before a felt a rough hand grab me around the back of my neck.

'Let me go!' but I was left to flail around like a fish out of water because the akuma holding me seemed rather cautious. Then it carried me over to where another large gaping black thing opened up underneath us that were then that I realized that it was in fact a gate, different but almost similar to the one Allen had opened up before.

'Allen wake up, come on…' I pleaded as I stared at the motionless figure of Allen, he still hadn't come to yet and as we were about to enter the gate a translucent barrier shone around us.

'Yes!' I trilled as I realized that the scientist had finally finished those bloody talismans as the akuma struggled to break out of the barrier.

'Damnit, those scientists are annoying,' they hissed as they began to break the barrier through their kicks.

'You bet!' I managed to twist in the akuma's grip and land my foot into its side that allowed me to get free and I felt myself slowly sink into that black gate.

'Allen, come on, we're being kidnapped here!'

… Hang on a minute…

'Wake up you stupid beansprout!' well that got a reaction as the akuma that were holding onto Allen was sliced in half and exploded.

'Please do not use that nickname,'

'It got you to wake up didn't it,' I said as Allen grumbled and destroyed the akuma that had me captive. But we were still sinking despite the efforts of the talisman.

'It seems like it won't hold for long,' Allen observed as I glared at him… well that was obvious!

'You really started the party without us, stupid apprentice,'

….

**Long chapter and now the Noah are suspecting Lillian… what will happen next?**

**Please REVIEW!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four:

I noticed General Tiedoll and General Cross jumped down beside us as the Egg reemerged from the black gate, which in itself slightly relieving. There were two others there who wore the golden uniform and I guessed that they were also Generals.

'You're late Master,' Allen murmured as General Cross snorted aloud in amusement.

'Think what you want, we're here to kick some akuma ass,' I rolled my eyes; at least I was thankful that we were no longer alone fighting the large mass of akuma. But to be honest, I was very surprised that the Generals destroyed the whole swarm in a matter of minutes.

'Impressive,' I said as Marie, Miranda and I watched the entire show on the platform where the egg was held in place by Miranda's timeout.

'Are you alright Lillian?'

'Yeah I really can't complain to be honest but I didn't like the part that I was almost dragged into the Black Ark with Allen,' I laughed off the awkward glares staring at me and quickly hurried off before they could ask anymore specific questions.

I wasn't prepared in telling them about the fact that I seem to be able to nullify the powers of both Noah and akuma… isn't that strange?

'Reever, can you get any connection outside?' I said as I went over to him and the other scientists that were coming out of hiding.

'Well you seem to be find after being battered by an akuma,' I giggled thinking that was a compliment but it seemed that Reever was actually concerned.

'I'm fine aren't I?' I twirled around for a bit as Marie handed him a communicator to the others outside laboratory 5.

'Have you seen…?'

BAM!

I turned and saw Allen crumple onto he floor in a heap.

'Never mind… ALLEN!' I rushed over to him as he struggled to get on his feet. It must have been a powerful blow as I leaned to help him.

'Get away, there's a level four!'

'Four?' I sounded stupid but at least I wasn't the first to hear about this as everyone stared at the hovering being emerging from the poisonous mist. It was angelic in appearance but its manner was anything but.

I shivered.

'Level four…?' the words rolled over my drying tongue but before I could say anything else, Allen rushed forward in a blur of white. Honestly, the boy was an idiot!

'Hey!' I called after him and before running to where he was fighting the akuma. It seemed to me that the akuma was just mucking around or was actually getting bored with Allen's repetitive movements, I didn't see a clear difference at all. I did wince though when Allen collided into the wall once again.

'Shit, are you all right Allen?' I called to him from my hiding place. I received a glare probably because he didn't think that I should be there in the first place. But I continued to watch nonetheless before I noticed something while Allen continued fighting.

'It's open Allen!' I called to him and he managed to knock it off balance and the akuma turned to glare at me.

'Stupid girl,' I went rigid as it sent a ball of dark matter at me but luckily Allen got to me before it did.

'Honestly, Lillian can't you stay out of danger?'

'Hmph, I may not have a hero complex but that doesn't mean I can't do my job,' I muttered in reply as we landed on a high-raised platform just in time to see the akuma Egg being blown apart but the Generals.

'I wonder what's going on there?' Allen wondered but I wasn't really listening as I staggered towards the railing to support myself. It felt like something inside me broke and it was painful.

'Damn, what a set back, might as well finish my duty,' I just heard the akuma in time as Allen launched himself at it but was quickly beaten back with a simple explosion. The impact left a large crater in the wall where Allen had hit the wall and fell to the ground.

'Allen!' I rushed to his side and shook him gently hoping he was okay and also that he wasn't mortally wounded.

I heard the level four laugh gleefully before turning to me, I gritted my teeth, and my cheeks felt wet probably from the tears I just finally realize were falling.

'Damnit…'

'Die!' I stood up and used my body as I shield, it was the only thing I could think of doing. Allen was in no condition to move and I hadn't the strength to get him out of the way.

….

When I finally woke up, it was to the bustling sounds of an infirmary and it wasn't what I really needed because my head was killing me! I tried my best to sit up but gave up in the end and lay there looking around.

I could see Lenalee sitting in the bed across from Miranda and with me next to her. I could barely see Allen but I knew he was in the same room because there seemed to be that bloody blonde guy called Link, if I remembered correctly.

He seemed displeased about something but I really couldn't be bothered figuring out why, my head really hurt.

'You're finally up,' that was the head nurse as she stared at me from the end of my bed so I smiled meekly.

'I suppose so, how long was I sleeping?' I asked her because judging by the work happening around me it felt like a long time.

'About three days, we're thankful that Lenalee and Allen defeated the level four or we might have been finished,' I smiled again, it didn't bother me about how long I had slept for but knowing that the level four was gone was slightly relieving.

'That's good I suppose,'

'Not really, we lost more than half our members from one single akuma,' she sounded very concerned and I was regretting ever speaking those four little words.

'Sorry…' she smiled at me.

'It's not your fault, you are after all a finder,' I wasn't so sure about that because judging from that last attack I remember I probably shouldn't have survived maybe that was why Link was like he was?

Ugh… I really wasn't in the mood to think clearly as I rolled over and tried to relax as my mind began to blur my vision. It was irritating but no sooner had I thought that I fell asleep again.

….

I woke up this time to a dark room, the noise had quieted down dramatically and only a few nurses shuffled around checking on the patients still in the infirmary. My head was feeling a lot better than it was before but there was still that searing pain in my head that refused to leave me alone.

Not that I could complain much since I was able to hold myself better and sat up much to the distress of one of the nurses that realized that I was awake.

'You should rest,'

'I'm fine and a tiny bit hungry,' I replied to her as I got up and found myself wobbling a bit on my feet, probably from lying down to long. The nurse made a move to put me back in the bed but I waved her away.

'Walking will do me good,' I reassured her and left her to bicker over whether or not to let me do it but I was already out the door.

Leaving the room made me feel slightly lighter in the head as I made my way to the cafeteria where I knew I could possibly get something to eat. But I was surprised that I wasn't the only one looking for a midnight snack.

'Allen?' He blinked from the plate of food he was devouring and greeted me with a smile… it looked fake as usual.

'Hi Lillian,' he said before turning back to eat his food that piled up a mile high. I sighed and took a seat next to him.

'I heard you defeated the level four with Lenalee,' I said as Allen paused and slowly nodded, he seemed rather uneasy about something.

'How… How are you still alive?'

'Huh?'

'A normal human would have been killed by a shot like that yet you… repelled it?' Allen seemed just as surprised as I was confused. What did he mean repel it?

'Ah… I really am not in a position to tell you because I'm not so sure myself,' I said finally but that bloody pain in my head made it hard to think straight and sort out my thoughts.

'What are you not sure of?' I lowered my eyes to my hands that fidgeted with the blue locks of my hair.

'Everything,' I whispered, he seemed slightly baffled about what I was saying so I shook my head.

'What's up with your smile?' I asked deciding to change the subject.

'What's wrong with it?' he seemed slightly worried and that I knew was genuine. I laughed at him.

'You smile yet you're always sad, I can notice you know,' I winked at him and he quickly turned away. That was when I figured that I wasn't the only one hiding something from the rest.

It seemed have gotten awkward again so I had to quickly change the subject.

'Um… so where's Link?'

'He's asleep,'

'Ah~ you snuck out for some quiet time,' I smirked at him as he stared at me defensively.

'But…'

'Don't need to explain, I understand you wanting to have sometime by yourself, it's only then that you have time to try and sort the shit in your head,' I lowered my voice without realizing and he frowned and then smiled… this time it wasn't fake… small and genuine.

'Right,'

….

**Looks like things slowed down here but I'm hoping to pick up the pace for the next part!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five:

When I heard we were moving, it kind of shocked me. This place, no matter how short my stay here had been, it was sad to leave behind. But Allen didn't seem fazed at all as the boat rocked behind us and the rain fell heavily onto us. A dark hood was pulled far over his head and it felt to me like he was trying to put a barrier between us.

I sighed and adjusted my own hood just as Lenalee and Johnny exited the cabin of the boat.

'Hey Allen, Lillian, how's the trip doing for you guys?' I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at them as Allen pulled his hood from his face… there was a solemn smile on his lips and it made me slightly confused.

'Nothing much, how's Komui?'

'Right here, besides no leisure chats until Allen's finished his job,' Komui was now standing behind Allen, his sudden appearance startled me but he still looked a little green.

Komui didn't seem compatible with boat traveling and I don't blame him, he hardly gets out anywhere with the work loading onto him.

'I know,' Allen sighs and I laughed while turning to the front of the boat where a dark shadow was looming before us.

'Is that it?' I cried out in excitement as the others looked in my direction.

'Correct, that's the knew headquarters of the Black Order,'

….

Looking around the place, it was humongous and a many floors shorter than the last headquarters. Though one thing was the same, it was still a bloody maze!

Johnny was leading Allen around to make gates so that the others could move in. I followed them since I had nothing else to do and it was amazing to watch the diamond shaped gate open up before me.

It seemed so magical and beautiful; it almost made me feel jealous of Allen because he had such ability. But if that meant having a bodyguard then I was fine with how I was.

'That should be the last one, Allen,' Johnny finally declared as we celebrated with a group high-five.

'Well that's a relief isn't it,' I said but my little happiness was short lived as I spotted that narrow-eyed man standing a fair distance from us with a smile so vile it made me shudder.

'Well done, Allen Walker, now if you won't mind we'd like for you to come with us,' the man said there seemed to be several red-cloaked figures standing behind him. I could tell Allen wasn't happy to see him at all.

'Inspector Rouvelier, why do you want Allen?' Johnny asked the man as Allen did move as those red-cloaked people bound his left arm with some type of spell.

'Hey, leave him alone!' I shouted at them pushing one to the side and ripping off the paper. I felt a rough hand on my shoulder and I was instantly pulled away.

'Let me go,' I growled at whoever had grabbed me and saw that it was Rouvelier. He seemed slightly amused by my reaction and didn't seem to let me go when I began to struggle.

Curse him to hell and back!

'Lillian, was it? You are next on my list,' I frowned at him, what the fuck did he mean by that? Before I could actually voice my question I was roughly shoved into Johnny and Allen was taken away.

I glared after them, in particular, at the man called Rouvelier, I didn't like him at all nor did I trust him. There was something off about him that I rather face an akuma than him in a lone alleyway.

….

Johnny and I were escorted to a room where Lenalee was sitting, looking rather worried about something and that something I guessed had to do with Rouvelier.

'Johnny, what's going on?' Nice, why not ask me that since I was there to!

'I-I don't know, the Crow came and bound Allen's arm and left with him, Lillian tried to stop them but she was shoved away,' Lenalee looked at me blankly while I took a place on the windowsill.

It was raining outside, it was coming down in buckets but it was in that rain that I felt something sinister brewing. Something was definitely not right!

'Let's stay up till Allen gets back!'

'Yeah,' Johnny agreed as I glanced over my shoulder and watch them huddle on the couch next to each other waiting anxiously for Allen's return. They didn't make it though since they both fell asleep somewhere around 1:30 in the morning.

I was still up though, staring blankly out the window that I almost missed the opening of the door. I did, however, hear the door close with a soft chink.

'Allen?' I breathed a sigh of relief as he came into the room dressed in his uniform but his face didn't seem right. I frowned at him as he pulled a blanket over the sleeping Lenalee and Johnny.

'How was it?' I asked in a low voice, I knew he wasn't going to tell me, he seemed to that type of person because he gave me that ridiculous smile of his.

'Smiling won't get me to leave you alone, Allen, remember that,' I turned back to the window and watched as the rain continued to fall down.

'… You're right, but I have nothing else to do,'

'The truth is always the best option, it's the same with me, I want to know the truth,' I murmured, I didn't turn to see his reaction but his silence was enough to tell me that he was thinking about my words.

'What does Rouvelier have against you?' Allen's question was out of the blue that I whipped around and glared at him.

'I don't know,' I hissed but he ushered be to quiet down since I could possibly wake Lenalee and Johnny.

'… Sorry, but it seems that I have gained some distrust, especially in Link,' I said after taking a few deep breaths to calm down. Allen nodded slowly before leaning back against the couch.

'What would you do if everything you once knew was wrong?' I blinked at him as I cracked into a fit of soft giggles.

'What?'

'Doubt can be a funny thing, huh? But the only thing I can think of is looking for the truth through all the lies, you are bound to find something there,' I giggled and then leaned against the cold windowpane. The chillness sank into my coat and hair as I shuddered.

He laughed with me until it was no longer funny. The awkward silence that feel between us just proved how much we were hiding from everyone with me having an unclear past and Allen with his parading smile. It seemed like we were all hiding something.

….

I must have fallen asleep because I woke up with a sudden dread hovering over my conscious. I could have sworn that I heard the sound of a gun… but it could have possibly been the rain since it still was hell out there.

Shaking my head, I could tell that Allen was still asleep along with Lenalee and Johnny.

It was kind of sweet to see them like that, fast asleep without a worry about what was going on around us. That's just it, we can only escape reality by forgetting that everything around us is real.

I curled up on the windowsill my position was slightly uncomfortable but I really couldn't be bothered the least by it. Reality and fantasy… wow that single thought was really disturbing and that was saying something.

All these strange feelings, what did they mean and why was I feeling them? It had something to do with this war after all my first seed of doubt was when I touched the innocence. Then there was that man in Barcelona whom I met again in Edo and then Lulubell who attacked the fifth laboratory to retrieve the Egg.

And finally Adam, that stranger had appeared in mostly all my apparitions. He had to have some importance and he had to be real… could those little scenes be memories? Something I've forgotten because the Ark had also appeared and I hadn't seen it till I was taken there. But I must have somehow seen it before.

I gripped my head, all these thoughts were driving me mad… maybe I was… insanity didn't seem that far from my realm of possibility and who was to say everyone around me was mentally sound.

At least being here might just straighten out those sharp corners in my path and make the way clear for me to travel and finally discover who I am…

….

**Here we go… I finally managed to finish this so please REVIEW and I'll try and update soon!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty-Six:

I cringe as the akuma thrashed its fist at the barrier Miranda was holding up using timeout. I really was in awe as I watched her mental battle to keep the barrier up while Link was busy trying to beat the innocence on a dead man's hand.

The barrier shook violently and poor Miranda looked close to fainting.

'God save us!' the old woman clinging to Miranda cried out, she was the sister of the deceased man still playing chess. Really, coming back just to play chess again is ridiculous!

Allen and Kanda were busy holding the akuma back since the barriers came down and I was thankful that Allen had managed to intervene because Miranda looked as if she was about to reach her limit.

'Hurry up, will you,' Kanda hissed, his usual temper evident in the frown creasing his face. I sighed… typical Kanda as Link scowled him without turning away from the chessboard.

I honestly couldn't believe that a person would be sane enough to last five long hours playing chess with a dead man. It was driving me up the wall!

We had been sent to retrieve innocence from a grave that challenged passerby to chess. The deal being we'd gain the innocence if we win but unfortunate all but Link didn't have any luck.

'Leave him alone Bakanda, Link's the only one to keep going like this,' Allen complained as I helplessly watch the two begin to bicker… again! I moaned into my hand before I heard Link say those dearly appreciated words 'checkmate'.

'Finally,' I exclaimed as I gazed over Link's shoulder to see the results of the match, which had the dead man's king trapped effortlessly in the corner by Link's rook, knight and queen.

'Well it didn't help that you people were making a lot of noise in the background,' Link said as he took the ring from the disintegrating hand and slowly stood up.

'Well think of it like a side job,' Allen said and I was left to giggle at that as we slowly made our way back to the church where the gate would take us back to headquarters.

It felt strange taking the Ark all the time now, one because I had visions of it before I even saw it and secondly, I really didn't like the new headquarters. Some had happened since the first day we arrived.

Allen was dragged away and then later on, General Cross mysteriously disappeared and it seemed like strangers were moving into the place with one scientist bugging Lenalee probably because of her short uniform… the asshole.

Not only that but now Crow agents were constantly walking around the place since it was announced that Allen was the host of a Noah… I think it was a traitor or something but to be frank, the one person who bugged me the most was Rouvelier.

He was rather cold to me, beats me why and I have yet to find out what he meant by next on his list. It worried me greatly because that would mean that he was suspecting my ability to somehow nullify dark matter.

I shivered as we walked into the church and waited patiently for the gate to open… I hope not because I had yet to figure out why as well and having that bastard on my case wasn't helping.

There hadn't been many dreams lately and that was either relieving or worrying, I could never be sure of which one but it felt strange. But the blinding light of the gate appearing before us distracted me slightly and we walked into the ark to be greeted by Rob, one of the scientists.

'How'd it go?' he asked as both Allen and I smiled at him.

'It went well, which is good but the innocence was a pain,' I explained as he laughed and we walked along the street of whitewashed buildings and black iron balconies. It was peaceful and I wouldn't mind staying here if that meant being away from the scrutinizing eyes of the other Black Order staff. I was left to sigh.

'What's wrong Lillian?' I stared at Allen as he looked back at me; there was natural concern in his silver eyes.

'I really haven't found out anything and even… my dreams are empty, it only worries me,' I spoke being slightly careful not to tell Allen about having somehow knowing about the Ark before hand. He nodded slowly as if he understood what I was saying and whether that was true will remain a mystery to me.

'Everyone's on edge but we need to keep our chins up and think about the future,' I blinked at him.

'You know you sound like a tape recorder stuck on repeat,' we laughed together at that maybe we were slowly breaking away, the solid walls we build to protect ourselves, maybe it was coming down brick by brick.

….

I was called into Komui's office along with Kanda and Lavi… it was another mission I was sure of it as I stared at the briefings given to us. Komui's gaze was stern and slightly disturbing for the usually bubbly man with a sister-complex. This was very concerning.

'I want you three to investigate the city of Venice, there seems to have been strange activities and disappearances of finders whenever we try to investigate further,' I frowned… then shouldn't that call for three exorcists and not two with a finder? I bit my lip to stop asking the exact question.

'What's happening there?' I decided to ask instead as Komui slowly gazed at me making me quickly glance down at the documents in my hand.

'There's a masquerade festival being held at Venice soon but we cannot get a proper investigation team in there,' I didn't see what the point of this mission was but then it suddenly clicked.

'You don't mean…'

'It's the perfect target for akuma wanting to evolve, large masses of people are always inviting like that,' I felt nauseous at Kanda's calm attitude; he must have been meditating before coming here.

'Okay but why am I going?' I asked because it was understandable that Allen and Kanda should go but me; I was hardly an accommodator of innocence.

'That was requested by Inspector Rouvelier,' oh so it was that bastard's fault huh? I growled at the mentioning of that name and folded my arms to show my disapproval despite having no choice in the matter.

'When do we leave?'

'Now,' Komui's answer came quickly and urgently as we nodded and quickly headed for the Ark.

….

The water city, Venice, it was a lovely place if it weren't for so many people and the thought of losing Allen and Kanda was never far from my thoughts. It was a complete maze and the only easy way to go around was by boat.

So there we were sitting in the boat, watching people bustle around getting ready for the festival with large colorful banners and a wide range of flowers.

'Are festivals here always this fancy?' I sighed as several girls were carrying off their costumes of pinks, blues and indigos. I was really jealous for them to get to wear such lovely gowns but I didn't mind wearing the finder uniform tailored especially for me. It was something that I was proud of.

'Might be, I've never been here before,' Allen was kind enough to reply as Kanda did his infamous 'che' reply and I glared at him as he looked to the side.

….

Once we were settled at the inn we ventured out to see if there was anything suspicious to be concerned about. As usual Kanda went solo while Allen and I decided to go the other way. Kanda was an ass like that and I was learning to live with it.

'I wonder what happened to those finders?' Allen asked out of the blue as we wondered down the street trying to keep close to each to avoid any separation. I shrugged my shoulders while recalling what Komui told us.

'They may be dead,' I said in a low voice as Allen slowly nodded, he seemed really depressed and I looked around for something to cheer him up with.

'Since this is festive, how about blending in till the akuma show up!' I said, jolting him out of his thoughts and he stared at me bewilderedly. I didn't give him a chance to say anything as I took his hand and made our way through the thick of the crowd.

Allen was skeptical about my rather sudden approach to the situation but it wasn't long till he was dining on some of Venice's specials from the stalls. It was nice to see that he wasn't wallowing around like a soulless body, I found that uplifting.

….

The night went quickly and it was soon at the early hours of the morning and the bustling crowd was starting to slow down. Allen and I quickly decided it was best to go back and get some rest while the akuma didn't show up.

We slowly made our way back to the inn when I froze. I had been gazing at the amazing costumes everyone were wearing that I spotted a particular person, he was easy to spot in such a crowd with such noble clothes of black and a tall top hat.

'Lillian, come on,' Allen called to me as I stared at him briefly before staring back at the man who was slowly making his way away from me. He looked familiar… like I had seen him before.

'Lillian?' I ignored Allen and quickly made my way through the crowd to get to him… I finally realized why he was so familiar… he had the same appearance as Adam in my visions!

….

**Sorry if this is all over the place but so is my mind at the moment, hoping that the next chapter is slightly clearer than this**

**Please REVIEW!**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven:

It had to be him, the man had the same dark hair, he had the same sharp features to the face… it couldn't possibly be fake. But I couldn't get closer to him and I began to think that this was yet another horrible dreams playing with my desires.

He had a good head start and even the crowd was annoying, though it still wasn't as bad as it was at the beginning of the festival.

'Lillian?' I could here Allen struggling to keep up with me as he squeezed through the crowd behind me. But I couldn't risk throwing back a reply, what if I lose this man whom could possible tell me something I've wanted to find out.

I weaved throw keeping my eyes on the back of this man's head but he then disappeared from my view once he turned the corner… no I couldn't lose him now!

Darting forward and ignoring the protest of the late night-goers I arrived at the corner only to find out that my fears had been realize. He wasn't there…

'Lillian… what's wrong with you?' Allen had finally managed to catch up as I slowly turned to him. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore and they ran down my cheeks like small rivers.

Allen looked rather taken back but he wrapped his arms around me in a comforting hug. I was grateful for that but the dread was still there… I had let that one chance to figure out everything slip away.

'It's all right, Lillian, let's go back,' I nodded slowly in response but then Allen's left eye activated and his comforting hug turned into a protective one.

There were a group of them, they were watching us with creepy grins spread from ear to ear and that was never a good sign.

'Lillian run and find Kanda,' Allen said to me quickly as he pushed me away.

'Don't be stupid you can't handle that many level threes without getting hurt,' Allen blinked at me probably wondering how I knew they were level three. I shook my head quickly.

'You really can be an idiot!' BAM!

An akuma had transformed and flew the both of us off our feet with a single punch into the ground. Water, wood and brick flew everywhere as I landed roughly against the ground.

I glanced up and saw that Allen had been more prepared than I was and was already beginning to deal with the akuma surrounding us… There were more than what was visible to me!

'Allen behind you!' I cried out as I saw that an akuma was sneaking into his blind spot while he was busy dealing with three of them. Allen flinched at my words and made a quick turn to narrowly avoid the attack but it managed to carve a nasty wound in his side as he jumped back to where I was.

'Thanks,' he said, wincing through the pain. I saw the blood quickly soak into his torn uniform and I began praying that Kanda would hear the fighting and come to our aid.

'Don't push yourself, Allen,' I pleaded with him but his stubborn silver eyes told me otherwise as he jumped up and brought his sword down on an akuma that dared to come within range.

It exploded but I knew Allen couldn't keep it up for long since we were both lacking sleep. It was only a matter of time before they gained the upper hand. One by one they fell but more came and took there place… where the heck was Kanda when you needed him?

Suddenly, Allen lost his balance when he tried to avoid an attack by another akuma; it was probably because of his wound from earlier. He stumbled and it gave the akuma the opportunity to slam Allen into a nearby building.

'Allen!' I shouted as the rubble fell around him and I couldn't tell if he survived. Unfortunately I wasn't in the position to dawdle as the akuma turned their attention onto me… oh shit!

I stood up in hast despite the pain tearing in my thigh and made a run from it but I knew I couldn't possibly out run an akuma. It was simply impossible. Then being the klutz I was, I tripped and fell on my sore leg again. The pain burned continuously through my leg as I shifted into a sitting position in another attempt to get away.

'You're not going anywhere,' one of the akuma hissed as I stared at the on coming attack heading my way. I couldn't dodge it and it would seem like Kanda wouldn't show up but I didn't want to die… no I wasn't going to die.

I placed all my weight on my good leg and stood up with a slight wobble before staring down at the orb of dark matter. Here was a chance to test something willingly as I thrust my palm out to meet the orb and a loud explosion occurred knocking me back onto my ass.

It hurt a lot but I seemed to still be in one piece, which was one huge relief but that would only get me into more trouble.

'I thought the bitch was only a finder,' one of them hissed… oh great, this was just what I needed as I tried to move away but fell to the ground again. I winced at the pain that shot up my leg again

'Well I certainly don't sense any innocence,' another bickered as they began to argue about what I was? It was slightly frustrating but there was nothing I could do. Well that was until I heard footsteps behind me.

I froze because the only thing that might be behind me was either more akuma or a Noah. Slowly turning, it was the man that looked like Adam from my visions.

The same golden eyes glowing in the early morning light and the hair pulled into a low ponytail.

'Adam…?' I risked saying, which resulted in the man frowning. I was anxious, hoping to get a reply that would confirm everything that I was covered in doubt.

'Lillian!' Well it wasn't from the man but I was relieved that Allen had survived the building falling onto him.

'Allen, I'm glad you're all right,' I exclaimed happily though he didn't seem pleased himself.

'Why didn't you run?'

'My leg's hurt, idiot!' I scowled at him before glancing back behind me… the man was gone and I doubt Allen saw him too.

'Creatures from the Netherworld… Ichigen!' Kanda's timing couldn't have been better as those ghostly insects smashed through the remaining akuma and he strolled up to us with the usual glare on his face.

'I'm glad to see that you're as impeccable as ever, beansprout,' Kanda snarled.

'Why thanks Bakanda, I didn't know you were so fluent in the English vocabulary,' Allen retorted dryly.

'Guys! A little help would be greatly appreciated here,' I decided not to tell them about the man I saw; maybe it was something that came from my imagination. I really hope not though, it was too real to be.

….

When we got back, I was once again stuck in the medical ward but only for a few cuts and bruises and the agonizing pain in my thigh. It was boring but at least I wasn't alone… Allen had done a good job in opening up his side that he was forced to stay even through his meals. That got really crowded too now that I mention it.

Whenever he tried to get out, the head nurse her self always brought Allen back. I found it quite amusing during the boring times of lying around in there so I never protested when Allen slipped out of the room to eat in the cafeteria.

The annoying thing however was that I got visits from Lavi and at times Lenalee would feel kind enough to see me though I never kept my hopes up about it. She would normally come to see if Allen was all right… it was clear that she liked him but I wasn't sure if Allen was returning those feelings.

Speak of the devil; she walked into the ward looking for someone. I suspected it was Allen.

'He left just a few moments ago,' I called to her from my bed and expected her to nod and go away but instead she came over to me.

'I saw but it was you I wanted to see,' I was startled by her words but I really couldn't put my hopes up that we would leave this conversation as best friends.

'What about?' I asked cheerily as she pulled a chair up to my bedside and sat down. I eyed her carefully so as to not make her feel unwelcome.

'Do you like Allen?' Not this again! I rolled my eyes and snickered at her.

'Of course not, we are just good friends and nothing more,' she honestly didn't seem very convinced and I was beginning to think why that would be so?

'I've seen you two talk often alone, you get along so well and… well…'

'Jealous? He probably doesn't mind my presence because I don't dwell into his feelings and ask how his days been or if he was feeling well? Some people hate hearing that, it makes you seem like you're oblivious to their feelings,' I sneered at her playfully leaning back against the head of the bed.

'But I've know him longer than you yet you grow so close,'

'I figure that's because Rouvelier suspects the both of us, the bastard and I still don't know what for,' Oops I let that one slip.

'Why would Rouvelier suspect you?'

'You never heard that… besides that Allen and I are only friends,' I confirmed to changing the subject, which got a deep frown from her as a consequence. Before she could say anything else the loud voice of the head nurse was heard before she herself walked through the door dragging Allen behind her.

'I told you to remain in the infirmary until I am satisfied that you are healthy,' she shoved Allen onto his bed before turning to Lenalee and I.

'Hello Lenalee, come to visit again?'

'No, I was just leaving,' she smiled but I could hear the venom in her voice. Man was she going to hate me for a long while.

….

**Hello everyone, thanks for the reviews and please continue giving them. It only inspires me to write more chapters! **

**So please REVIEW!**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

It was straight out of the infirmary and onto a mission once Allen and I healed. It sent us to France with Kanda, Marie and Link because of a mysterious thief that had somehow landed some finders and a scientist in jail.

We were standing in the office where the inspector was arguing with a young woman, I think it was something about a party and that he wasn't going to attend. Unfortunately for her she bumped into Kanda on her way out.

'Out of the way,' Kanda growled quickly as he pushed past her to speak with the inspector.

'And who are you?' I frowned because the inspector seemed to have some sort of suspicious tone in his voice for some reason. I shook my head in confusion.

'We're members from the Black Order, you're holding some of our people in here,' I quickly explained, stepping in between him and Kanda. Kanda's hand was laying on the helm of his sword and that could only mean one thing… the man had stepped past his boundaries.

'Black Order… This way then,' the inspector quit his bickering and Kanda glared at me for my intervention before we all proceeded to go to the back of the station. But what was on the other side, I was unprepared for…

Staring at us was hundreds… it looked like it anyway… of masked faces with one huge ridiculous eye in the middle.

'What the fuck is this?' Kanda seemed just as surprised and annoyed as the rest of us. It felt really awkward indeed having these strange figures staring at you with their bodies pressed against the glass.

'I didn't know it was Halloween?' Allen exclaimed.

'Each one of these people are here, suspected of being the Phantom Thief G,' Inspector Galmar explained.

'Right?' I laughed queasily as I searched for any recognizable faces or someone who could recognize the emblem we wore.

'It's the exorcists!' the voice that cried out led us to the cell where several people were bundled together.

'Jiji and the finders!' Allen went over to them but Kanda was slightly quicker and kicked the glass in, denting it… did he really have to do that?

'What are you assholes doing?' Kanda snarled at them as they cowered back in fear of Kanda's infamous wrath.

'Settle down Kanda,'

'Shut up Moyashi,'

'Quiet the both of you!' I glared at the pair of them; I was sick and tired of their constant nagging of each other that it was starting to get old!

'What happened?' Marie decided to intervene as Jiji adjusted his glasses.

'We were investigating the case of this Phantom Thief… but before we knew it, we were dressed like this and imprisoned,' Jiji whined, which made me feel slightly sorry for him.

'Did you find anything about this G?' I asked because we needed the information to help get them out. Jiji adjusted his glasses.

'Well we know that the G stands for ghost and it is most likely that the thief in question in connected in some way to innocence,' Jiji's reply wasn't at all helpful but I suppose it would do for now considering the circumstances we were in. The current situation had us at a great disadvantage because we knew little about the thief's next target.

Suddenly a police officer burst into the back rooms holding something that looked like a letter in his hand. His face was slick with sweat as he nervously held the card to the inspector.

'G is going to strike again!'

….

It was getting late… and very cold where I was positioned along with Allen and Link. They were both having a private conversation that Link was determined that I shouldn't hear so I was watching their mouths move hoping to guess what they were saying.

Allen as usual was stuffing his face with frost-covered donuts something I wouldn't mind having right now as I watched them. It was difficult waiting for this phantom thief to turn up to steal this really important crown to the government. But as they say, the best entrance is normally a late one… I really can't remember how it went.

CRASH! Speaking of which, it looked like he decided to show up after all. I watched a strangely clad figure smash through the stained-glass window and onto the street below us. They were mocking the police who seemed to have been too slow to react in time.

'Can't catch me Galmar!' they teetered in what I thought was a childish manner. Unfortunately the thief was an idiot since Kanda had to merely stand there and whack the guy on the back of the head.

G tumbled back as I winced painfully; the thief was going to have a headache for a while from that hit. It was when Kanda handed the police back the crown that I noticed that something was very wrong.

The policeman who caught the crown suddenly snuck away.

'Allen, follow me!' I called out to Allen as I darted around the rooftops with him close behind me. I went around till we were both position around a sneaking shadow that appeared to be another G!

'Shame Galmar, looks like I'll be taking this then…' Allen pounced then, giving the thief a kick to his head. I sighed as I jumped down beside him.

'Allen I think you over did it,' I said as the thief slowly recovered from being hit in the head twice.

'Who are you? Are you police?' G demanded as he pointed a figure at us… I guessed he was male because of the masculine voice.

'Not exactly but we're here for you like they are,' Allen replied the dark aura emanating from him was making me shiver nervously. That was then that Link appeared also.

'Careful with the crown Walker,' he said sternly as I rolled my eyes. I had already figured that out with the reaction the police were having with this whole scenario.

'Don't worry, I won't so much as scratch,' I believed him when he said that.

'I don't think so~' G laughed hysterically as he threw the crown high into the air and Allen quickly gave chase before it plummeted to the stone road below. I sighed with relief but then I noticed that G had collapsed and now Link was acting funny.

He slowly strolled right behind Allen who was struggling to pull himself back. At first I thought it was to help him but then I was quick to change that.

'Allen!' I roughly pushed Link to the side and pulled Allen away from the roof's edge.

'What's wrong Lillian?' I didn't have time to answer a stunned Allen as Link picked himself up and grumbled painfully. He must have hit his head again… and I was thinking of G.

'Damn bitch, stay out of this,' this new Link scared me as I ducked behind Allen.

'Oi Link snap out of it,' but I tapped Allen on the shoulder and shook my head.

'I don't think Link can hear you, Allen… G's possessed him,' this wasn't good at all as Allen pushed me back, giving me the crown. He was trying his best to overpower Link without harming him, but I knew that wasn't likely with the way G was using Link's body.

It would seem that Link was a formidable fighter and Allen was getting badly beaten up because of it. When Kanda joined in, Link summoned strips of paper with familiar symbols sprawled on each of them. I gasped, they were the same ones used to bind Allen's left arm.

'Link's a Crow?' I sounded ridiculous but Kanda and Allen were also equally stunned by our discovery as the two exorcists finally got serious and drove G from Link.

Well to do that was to have Allen stab him through using his sword of exorcism, which made G cry and Link have the most hilarious face I had seen on him.

'Did you get that, Marie?' Kanda said to the golem hovering beside him. I listened to Marie reply back.

'Yes, it's good to know that G has human feelings,'

….

Marie then led us to the front of an orphanage where G's cries ended last night. It was odd to find us standing outside here of all places. I found it very confusing but Marie seemed very sure so I let it go as Allen went up the stairs to the front door.

I believe it was when Allen was about to knock on the door that a kid came flying through. It gave me quite a heart attack as he and Allen tumbled down the stairs with both of them clearly knocked out.

'Oh God Allen!' I ran over to him as did Link. I was relieved that Allen sat up and seemed to be rather okay if not for the large gash on his forehead.

'You did yourself good this time, Walker,' Link commented on the cut but then Allen suddenly started crying and to be honest, it was a little cute. But it was about then that it hit me… Allen's crying was the same as Link's when G possessed him, which probably meant one thing…

G had possessed Allen!

….

**Hi guys sorry for a late update but I had some schoolwork to hand in and crap! Hope you enjoy!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter Twenty-Nine:

We were all sitting in the lounge room; Allen and the boy who knocked into him were tied back to back… That was Kanda's idea, which would explain Allen being put in that situation.

'Timothy's been posing as a Phantom Thief?' the Prioress was very surprised as Kanda… well mostly Marie explained since the big man was kinder with his words.

'Prove it!' Yelled the obnoxious blonde named Amelia Galmar, the inspector's own daughter. Quite frankly, I couldn't picture that man having any children with his obsession with his work.

'He did admit it,' Kanda grumbled but Amelia just glared at him totally oblivious to his stone hard stare.

'You were holding a bloody sword to his throat!' Aiya, I don't think we'll get anywhere like this.

'We believe Timothy possesses something called innocence. A fragment, which we are looking for… It perfectly explains why he has a ball on his forehead,' I quickly broke in just to settle the tension that was making me feel uneasy.

'What if it is?' Amelia snapped at me. I recoiled at her annoyance and glanced at Marie for help, unfortunately, Kanda spoke up first.

'He'll be coming with us and made an exorcist,'

'What? No, I won't go and you can't make me!' the boy cried in outrage as Allen was pulled along with him as Timothy struggled forward on his knees.

'I don't fucking care if I have to…' Kanda's mouth was quickly sealed by Marie's hand to stop him from saying anymore.

'Please forgive him, he lacks manners,' I rolled my eyes wondering if Kanda had ever learned any in the first place.

'He doesn't have to go, doesn't he?' The Prioress spoke up but I shook my head.

'No, those possessing innocence are sentenced to life serving the Black Order… the only way you can leave is dying,' I wish I hadn't said those words because Timothy started crying again and dragged himself into Prioress comforting arms. Allen had no choice but to follow too.

'Maybe we should wait for Komui's opinion,' Allen muffled seemingly annoyed that Kanda had him tied up with Timothy.

'Yeah, I guess we have no choice…' I didn't finish when I suddenly noticed that it went pitch black. Even the lights flickered and died above our heads as we glanced around in confusion.

'Why did it go so dark? It's not even three in the afternoon,' I was impressed by the Prioress's serene attitude to the situation before my whole body screamed danger.

A loud BANG echoed through the room as I was knocked back off my feet by some invisible force and collided harshly against the wall. I coughed on the surrounding dust as I saw the hovering figure of something outside the window.

'Is that an angel…?' It would seem that the Prioress, Timothy and Amelia were lucky enough to have Allen to shield them as they stared at the being they called an angel. But I knew better than they did that it was in fact the angel of death… more commonly known as akuma.

'Prioress, its dangerous here, is there somewhere that you can take the children?' I shouted quickly as Allen and Kanda quickly got to work in pushing the akuma back. The Prioress blinked slowly as she pointed to the door heading out of the room.

'Yes, the basement…' she said in quite a calm voice before Link interrupted us.

'Then move!' I grizzled but didn't argue further as I watched the Prioress bustle the children downstairs ahead of us.

'Wait, shouldn't you be helping your comrades?' Amelia shouted at the both of us as she and Timothy hurried towards the basement with us in tow.

'Unless you have a death wish, we do not possess innocence like them and Timothy,' I snapped sharply at her before Link grabbed all three of us and jumped down the flight of stairs. Luckily he did or we would have been caught in the explosion that happened above us.

'Stop bickering, we need to get to Prioress…' he paused just as we all rounded the corner that should have led us straight to the basement but a hand lunged out and grabbed Timothy. I tried to go to him but unfortunately his captor had their hands on a gun.

We dived but Amelia was wounded in the shoulder. It was a serious wound but thankfully not fatal as I quickly tended to it the best I could. It was a miracle that it had missed her lung by just a fraction or I'd be dealing with something far worse.

'Link, that couldn't have been an akuma, it was a normal bullet,' I took note of immediately because of the luck of pentacles covering her skin. Link just grunted as if he had already figured that out.

'Then that must been we also have a broker involved,' I was applying pressure to Amelia's wound when Link spoke of that, it puzzled and distracted me. I truly didn't care what they were but I knew that it had something to do with the Millennium Earl.

So while Link continued to glance and have quite a course conversation with the broker, I had to do my best to keep Amelia's wound from getting infected. My best was to craft some sort of sling using the bottom of my coat, which wasn't much but seemed to do the job.

But then a horrible sound came from the direction Link was looking and it sounded like the cracking of a ceramic pot and oozy mud. Just the thought made me shudder.

'Shit, there is more than just the level four Walker and the others are dealing with,' Link's curse was enough for my curiosity to sneak a glance to.

Christ! He was right because I took note of the two level twos and a level three. Not really a good number to deal with however you look at it. But it didn't help that Timothy was now being held by the biggest of the level twos and wailing loud enough to hurt my ears.

But before I could study the situation more, Link pushed me back and I almost fell on Amelia.

'What was that for?' I hissed at him.

'One of level twos can turn you into a doll within six seconds,' I blinked as I slowly processed that information… oh shit, why does this have to get worse. Then I frowned.

'What do you plan to do then?' I challenged him as he took another quick glance around the corner before turning back to me.

'I might be able to stop that particular akuma but with that level three around, it could be troublesome,'

'I'll draw the attention then,' my response seemed to shock him before he glared daggers at me. I was probably insane for suggesting such a thing but if Link had only six seconds it would be possible to lengthen that time if I drew it away.

Besides that, through experience dark matter had hardly an effect on me and it would mostly likely occur now too.

'You really are insane,' he muttered and I frowned at him.

'Just ready whatever you're planning,' I snapped quickly before bolting away from him and making sure I did draw their attention away.

It worked much to my relief as I slammed against the fat akuma making it almost stumble over before ducking behind it as a makeshift cover. I really didn't think at all, now that I had a chance to think… maybe he was right after all.

Then it got difficult once the akuma recovered from their surprise and focused all their attention onto me as I darted about. It was the best I could do to avoid getting caught or even worse… killed.

I think it was about this time that Link decided to move.

He was quick and easily smashed the level three to the side before aiming for he akuma that could turn you into a doll.

'What the fuck? They're not exorcists but they sure are annoying,' I jumped back as the akuma swiped at me but I was a little too late in my movements and ended up being caught.

'Caught one!' the akuma said gleefully at me as I squirmed in its grasp. I desperately turned to see if Link was successfully but then wished that I didn't. He had been turned into a doll, which obviously meant I was next to follow.

'Well at least he won't be trying anything anytime soon, now turn her into a doll then we'll take the kid to Earl-sama,' the level three hissed but the level stood there staring at me with its star-like eye.

I knew I was next but I think that it couldn't do it judging by the frown it was sporting.

'I can't…'

'What do you mean you can't!' the three snarled but the level two defended itself.

'She seems to suppress my ability,'

Several shots rang out distracting the lot of us as I turned to see Amelia up and holding the gun that once belonged to the broker.

'Let them go,' she said, it was obvious that she was scared but she did a good job at hiding it.

'Oh another one…' more shots knocked the level two holding both Timothy and I back.

'I said let them go!'

'How dare you order us, bitch!' the level three lunged at her at blinding speeds, there was nothing I could do about that. But luckily I didn't have to as the other level two stepped in the way.

It shocked me but the light radiating from Timothy's body was clear enough for me to realize that he had finally activated the true form of his innocence.

Well at least the shock was also affecting the akuma so I quickly lashed out at the stunned level two holding the both of us and managed to escape holding Timothy in one arm and dragging Link in the other.

I winced as I stumbled back to Amelia with the newly transformed being standing protectively in front of her.

'You could have done that earlier and saved us the pain,' I grimaced as I lay Timothy's body on the ground beside Link. For some reason I couldn't bare to hold onto him any further and glanced at the blisters forming… well that's strange?

'How was I suppose to know I could possess akuma too,' the akuma Timothy argued back as I rolled my eyes. Amelia was left to look back and forth between us in confusion.

'Is that Timothy?' She was stunned as she pointed at the akuma Timothy but it didn't last long. The remaining level two threw a punch causing us to jumps back.

'That was close,' I muttered but I wasn't happy that I had to carry Timothy's body again but at least it didn't hurt as badly as it did last time.

'Hey if I can take over an akuma, then I can use its ability right?' He didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular as he stared at the space beside him… Amelia and I just glanced at each other, sharing the confusion between us as if that would somehow help.

Then he bounded away in a less than experienced manner. It was obvious that this was his first try in even attempting this as I helpless watched as he beat the level two use the doll-turning ability. He was doing so well up until the point the level three finally showed up again.

'Idiot, don't fight the level three possessing a level two body!' I shouted at him quickly before he narrowly got smashed in the head.

'What? Why?'

'The higher the number the strong it's power and body resistance to innocence,' I pointed out but my distraction caused him to be beaten back by the level three… it looked rather painful indeed.

'You sneaky bastard… but I wondered what happens if I attack your body,' shit… I made a move towards Timothy's body just as the level three did to. I had to quickly get there before it did.

That wasn't an easy task and it looked as if the level three would make it first. That was until Link conjured up the familiar wall of spell.

'You're awake!' I was surprised by the sound of my voice but ignored it for the time being as Timothy woke up in his own body as well.

'Jesus that was close,' I presumed that Link was okay since the body Timothy possessed was purified.

'Barely, but I can't hold this… for much longer,' Link was straining him self, I could see it in the way his body trembled. It was still recovering from being turned into a doll.

'Link!' That was the last thing I shouted before a stranger dressed in red stepped in front of all three of us. He was strange… as I said before but something was terribly off about him that it made me genuinely scared.

He held the level three back with one arm before uttering something under his breath and a huge vortex began to suck the akuma in. It was shocking as I suddenly collapsed because of the dizziness in my head and pain twisting in my chest.

'That was close…' I didn't agree or even listened completely as Timothy spoke of his relief but I was worried as I stared at this man standing before us. What was he? And what had the Order come up with now?

….

**Hello guys, sorry for the late update but had both writer's block and schoolwork to work on so I hope the length makes up for it!**

**Cheers and please keep up the REVIEWS!**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty:

I was so caught up at this stranger's unexpected arrival when I heard the agonizing screams coming from Allen. He was pinned against the wall with his own sword… but why was he…? Dark matter! That complete idiot!

'Allen!' I went to go to his side but Link stopped me, probably concerned about the level four that was also still alive and kicking. I glared at him but he just stared back.

'Let the exorcists deal with this,' though he seemed stern with those words something was off. It was like he was suspicious but couldn't note as to why.

I growled in response just as Allen and Kanda just managed to finish off the remaining akuma. That was when we focused on the barrier. Both Kanda and Allen tried to bash the door open with their innocence but I knew it was futile. But at least it was worth a try.

'You have to wait for those idiot scientists to do their job,' the stranger in red growled from a fair distance from us. I did my best to keep away from him, he didn't seem right and the pain in my chest refused to leave me.

'Who the fuck, are you?' Kanda snarled harshly, ignoring the heaving sounds coming from his chest. As usual, his pride was more important than his body. Allen frown seemed to agree with Kanda, despite their bickering relationship.

The man ignored Kanda's question just as the inspector waltzed in with an irritated expression. But that was quickly turned to utter confusion then shock when he saw Amelia.

I had a good laugh at that; it felt relieving to do so as the red man joined another down the bottom beside a waiting carriage. My happiness hit sub-zero when I notice that the strange aura was pouring from the both of them… this couldn't be good.

….

Unfortunately when we got back to headquarters, Komui's disapproving screams could be heard clearly from his office… even from the training room on the other side of the building.

The training room was bustling since Allen and Kanda came up with the idea of coming up of ways to defend us from akuma without innocence. There was no doubt that this idea came from the strange robed figure that saved Link and I. But I still thought the idea was ridiculous.

I sighed heavily as I watched Kanda beat yet another finder to a pulp, I really felt sorry for the men but it looked like Bookman was at this quite skilled in keeping up with him.

Kanda may pride himself in reflexes and speed but Bookman's small size and experience allowed him to avoid many of his attacks. It was rather entertaining once Bookman snagged Kanda's hair tie, leaving the young man's hair floating over his shoulders.

'Give that back old man,' Kanda demanded looking quite pissed with his skin glistening with sweat.

'It won't be anytime soon, that I'll let you young ones beat me,' behind me, the defeated finders began cheering eagerly for Bookman to avenge them. I giggled at their childishness, as I sat there leaning on my hands, watching the scene before me.

But it wasn't long before Kanda's anger got the better of him and he full out beat Bookman across the head. That slightly annoyed me as I rushed over to check if he hadn't gotten injures that might be fatal especially for someone his age.

'What the hell Kanda? Just because you were losing against Bookman doesn't mean you can go all out, this is training, remember,' I growled at him as I gave Bookman's pulsing bump a once over before standing up.

Beats me what got me to say it but I did.

'I'll be your next opponent,' that earned well expected gasps from the finders but I had to stand strong against my decision. Kanda seemed well enough ready to put me in my place.

He didn't give me anytime to get into a stance I was comfortable, probably thinking to get this over and done with. My first instinct was to duck so I followed and avoided a head blow with his lower arm.

As I went down, I skirted around him tangling my right leg around his ankles causing him to trip when he tried to jump back. His effort caused him to land flat on his face and I was left to gawk surprisingly at my actions.

Kanda didn't seem pleased to be humiliated by someone like me, being a girl and all. His twisted brows that dug into that dreaded death glare was enough to tell me that I was in for it, whether or not I was a girl.

When he recovered and sent that death glare to the chuckling finders behind him he came at me. Caution was in his step as he moved to my side in a blinding blur. I barely saw the arm coming as I rise my own to block it. My late timing caused hefty recoil on my part and sent me sprawling across the ground and hard into the wall on the other side.

I winced at the pain but I couldn't dawdle there as he came at me again. Thinking quickly, I grabbed the nearest thing to me and swung it in an upsweeping motion. This caught him off guard and causes him to back off.

'That's against the rules,' Kanda hissed through gritted teeth but I snickered at him.

'With you, there are no rules,' I shuffled my grip on what I had come to realize was a wooden staff naturally used in the training room. I moved back into the pale yellow dirt floor of the courtyard and resumed a stance that first came to my head.

Kanda only seemed slightly amused by my actions and quickly went into his position. He seemed just as likely to beat the crap out of me like the other finders as he moved towards me.

I buried one end of the staff into the dirt and swept it up, getting it cleaning into his eyes. Kanda snarled angrily as he still fought on, as if he didn't need them. I was hoping to gain an advantage from this but since that didn't work I had to work around his movements.

Having seen him fight akuma before, it helped somewhat to predict his movements. But at other times he cleaning got me where I lacked some sort of defense. It was easy to tell he too was reading my movements and anticipating my attacks.

It seemed like this would go on forever but between him and I, he had a lot more stamina than I. So keeping up with him slowly became difficult to achieve. I gritted my teeth, knowing that deciding a winner would quickly end this sparring.

Using whatever strength I had left in my limbs, I decided to pull one last desperate attempt to finish this. I stepped under his sweeping blow and knocked one end of the staff underneath his chin causing his head to snap back. Then in a smooth movement I quickly tripped him onto his back before he had the chance to recover and I held the end of the staff near his throat.

My breath was severely labored and the blood was pounding in my ears as Kanda quickly knocked the staff out of my hands and stormed off. It was obvious to see that he wasn't going to forget this anytime soon.

The finders cheered but it was short lived when the exact same pain as when that red stranger appeared suddenly struck me. It caused my legs to buckle but I forced myself not to as an explosion caught my attention and I hurried over.

I saw Allen heavily bleeding from a wound on the side of his temple, his innocence strangely activated.

'Allen!' I called out to him as he staggered and fell to the ground. I followed and cradled his face in my hands in an attempted to examine the nasty cut that was bleeding profusely. It was deep but not deep enough to see the glowing white of the bone underneath. Not like I would see it through the red and white mixture of his matted hair.

'What right do you Crow have to touch my charge?' I frowned at Link's mentioning of Allen being his charge… an unwillingly charge if you wanted to delve in further. I followed his gaze, though, to the three figures standing before us in the exact same coloured as the man back at the orphanage.

There was one of them in particular, his large arm, monstrous and twisted as a gaping hole yawned in the palm of his hand. Dread began to fill every inch of my being… What was he?

'Goushi, reverse the activation,' the smallest of the three said sternly as the larger did so while muttering, which I managed to catch.

'It's a side effect of the dark matter,' I felt my heart stop, if the man said that that would mean that…

'Please forgive our intrusion, our biological structure reacts negatively to innocence since we are half akuma,' the last of the three pulled off their hat revealing a young man with strange markings under his eyes.

'Half… akuma…?' I was startled as I stared at them wondering how on earth did the Black Order get their hands on dark matter that would allow them to do this?

But as soon as I thought that, I knew who would be that insane to do so… Rouvelier! I stormed off before any of them could possibly figure out what was wrong with me.

My destination was Komui's office; there was no other place I could think of that that man would be hovering around.

When I barged into the office, I must have scared them all but I didn't care because my gaze was firmly fixed on the person sitting opposite of Komui.

'Rouvelier, how could you do that?' I shrieked at him, I was vaguely aware of two other half-akuma in the room. One of them seemed familiar.

'I don't know what you are talking about,' he was smooth and calm with his words but the smirk told me that he knew why I was there.

'Oh bull, you haven't a clue. What right do you have to play fucking God, Rouvelier?' I couldn't be bothered about the gasps in the room. The man stood forward as if to say something but I glared at him.

'Stay out of this,' I hissed before turning back to Rouvelier who still was level headed, as he pulled of my grip and stood straight and tall. He was towering over me but I couldn't care less.

'This is for the best, we are at war with the Millennium Earl, we have the right to gain an advantage wherever we can,' I snorted at the retort.

'How long do you think the Earl will allow for such an advantage? Akuma are a part of him, idiot meaning you placed a bit of the Earl into them!' I gestured at the standing red-cloaked people. Rouvelier's eyes narrowed dangerously that I almost flinched under them.

'They are still human, meaning the Earl has no control over them,'

'He uses negative feelings to power akuma, the only way to activate the dark matter would be using someone with a high level of rage and hatred! Come on Rouvelier, I know you aren't as insane as you seem to be but this is absolutely ridiculous,' I stopped and hadn't realized that I was particularly yelling into his face.

It would seem that this problem was disturbing me more than I thought as I noticed the heavy panting that was coming from me.

Rouvelier's frown only got deeper, anger glistening in those dark eyes that I finally shuddered.

Now I've really done it!

….

**Author's Note:**

**Yay! Another chapter and it's beginning to get serious all over again! **

**Please REVIEW! XD**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One:

Traveling to the North America Branch was annoying especially when you are forced to travel with the likes of Rouvelier.

But at least I wasn't the only one traveling there. Johnny and Reever were told to attend a meeting that would be held that the exact same day, which I find quite relieving. Though from the information I obtained was that the meeting had something to do with the half-akuma they call third exorcists.

I thought it was absolutely ridiculous, the idea of creating half-akuma as we headed towards the basement levels of this facility. It was different from the European Branch that I began to miss the messed up décor of that building.

This branch was too plain, white and had a shuddering resemblance to a mental institute or hospital. Overall it was just creepy.

'This is the chamber where the mother womb lies,' I grizzled at Rouvelier's jargon talk that only the scientists around me could understand. They were also given briefings that I didn't have.

We entered the chamber he spoke of and I was left to gap at the… eerie silence I could feel hovering despite the chatter of the scientists. The room simply contained many large pipes trailing down from the ceiling all of which connected to something that was lying under a sheet of glass under our feet.

But that wasn't the most disturbing part… the something that I spoke of was actually a person, probably slightly older than I. Staring at it, it looked to be a corpse or was going to be one since it seemed like it was still alive!

I shuddered.

'This is the mother womb, Alma Karma, this was the only subject that was able to successfully merge with the akuma cells,' Renee spoke as my rage boiled, I thought she was a sensible woman when I had met her moments before Lulubell's attack. But to find out she was the one behind this… it was unforgivable!

That was the past, my main concerned centered on; how long the Earl was going to allow us such an advantage? It was only a matter of moments before he'd turn it against us.

That, I knew, was inevitable…

'Alma Karma was a former subject in the previous Second Exorcist project, which ceased operation,' I frowned at Renee's words… Oh so there were others. From my perspective it made a lot of sense.

Exorcists – chosen by innocence

Second Exorcists – um… I'm so sure about that…

And the Third Exorcists – half-akuma

I zoned out after that as the lecture went on, I wanted nothing more than for this to end as soon as possible. Allen and the others were sent on a mission just shortly after I was told that I'd be accompanying Rouvelier to the North America Branch.

It was a worry to know that they were in danger while I was safe in here… away from the battlefield.

Well my thoughts were quickly cut short when poor Johnny vomited the contents of his stomach onto the lab coat of another scientist… luckily it was Reever. It smelt something awful as I stepped back gagging with my hand covering my mouth. The four scientists involved were quickly ushered out of the room for being a disturbance.

As soon as they left Bak entered the room with an elderly man shuffling quickly behind him. The elder ignored us and quickly knelt beside the person underneath the glass.

'So you're still kept in this world…' that was all I heard from the old man before Rouvelier rudely interrupted.

'Branch Head Bak, why'd you bring him here?' The heartless man demanded aggressively. The suddenness of his protest made me jump in surprise.

'He has the right to see Alma, Inspector,' Bak defended quite calmly, I was glad that I wasn't the only one horrified about this project as they called it.

'He has no authorization to be here…'

'Oh be quiet Rouvelier, I don't have the authorization, yet I'm here! Just leave them alone and continue on with the bloody conversation!' I snarled at him, making him step back looking rather stunned. I hadn't meant to sound so harsh but a second thought made me believe that he so deserved it.

It was clearly obvious that my outburst caught him off guard but that was the least of worries…

Suddenly an alarm went off but the words that followed made my blood run cold.

'Noah have breach the perimeter! I repeat…' the radio went static after that and I didn't need to have a strong imagination to know what had likely happened.

'Quick, everyone! To the exits,' Renee cried out as I followed those orders instinctively but unfortunately I had no idea where the exits were. So I paused just before the corridor and turned around to wait for the others.

After that, I was confused, they weren't moving, as a disturbing silence seemed to befall the entire Branch. I really didn't like this at all because it was obvious that the battlefield had been brought to us.

Each person in the room looking likes a living scarecrow just without the field of corn.

'Renee! Bak! What's wrong with you?' I ran up to them, they seemed to be struggling against some invisible force that didn't seem to affect me at all. It was then that it struck me.

'Dark matter?'

'Correct young lady, and considering that you can avoid my powers suggests that you're the finder that Tyki and Lulubell have warned me about…' I froze not because the reply startled me but I knew who exactly had said it.

I turned to see a Noah casually sitting on what seemed to be a coffin, somehow he had managed to get in here but that wasn't the only problem. There were akuma, seven level fours to be exact.

Then there was the hand that was placed on my head to worried about as I glanced up at the wide inhuman grin of the Earl himself!

My reaction kicked in then swinging my arm to hit him as I turned to back away from him but he caught my arm instead.

'That was rather rude,' was all he said before letting me go and a fell backwards onto the ground. I winced before I noticed that another Noah was present or was the doll one too…

He was sitting on the ground in the middle of the room with a slumped figure on the floor beside him.

'Wisely, I think you overdid it a bit,' the doll grizzled at him as he folded his arms and frowned.

'He looked tough but his abilities as a Second Exorcist will kick in soon,' was his unanimated reply. It was about then that I recognized the person beside him.

'Kanda!' I glared at the Noah with the three eyes on his forehead.

'What did you do to him?'

'Sheril, I believe you missed someone…' Sheril, the one sitting on the coffin frowned at him before Wisely continued. 'We need him for our little party miss, but we are still missing one person.'

I looked at him in confusion wondering what he was talking about before a black gate yawned below Sheril. Then two figures burst through, one of them I instantly recognized.

'Allen!' Allen reacted to his and stared at me with bemusement.

'Lillian? What the hell's going on here?' He asked as I shook my head with a shrug.

'The Noah are talking about some sort of party,' I explained what I understood so far but even I was as stumped as he was.

'What kind of party?'

'An expulsion, shounen, we're here to get you,'

'Huh?' Both Allen and I glared at the Noah who answered, he held a similar appearance to Sheril and also someone else I recall seeing before. But that can be worried about later.

'We have come to the understanding that you, Allen Walker, are not the pianist left behind by the Fourteenth but the Fourteenth himself,'

So that was it! I glanced around because things didn't make any sense to me before I slowly calmed down.

Alma is the mother womb of the Thirds, and a Second exorcist.

Kanda was labeled a Second Exorcist by Wisely so he might have known Alma at some point… possibly… I'm grabbing loose ends here!

Then Allen was looking completely baffled and annoyed… Then I glanced at Kanda whose body began to twitch, he was slowly gaining some awareness now.

What on earth were they planning?

….

**Author's Note:**

**I'll stop here for now guys! **

**Please REVIEW!**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter Thirty-Two:

This wasn't good… then again anything involving the Noah was never good but this was… out of the blue. I guess coming into enemy territory was some kind of revenge for going to Edo months back.

But it still didn't make any sense, the exorcists were scattered leaving only Kanda and Allen here. I was here along with the others though I haven't a clear reason why we were.

It was like we were supposed to act as a witness… to what?

'What are you thinking miss?' I snapped my head in the direction of Wisely his eyes wide with integrity that made me shudder. He seemed like he was trying to do something but was failing miserably.

'The obvious… why are you here? I doubt its merely a massacre since you would have done it already,' I said blankly as he raised an eyebrow in response.

'Perceptive, it is true that it isn't merely a massacre… We are simply here to watch the Order be destroyed by its own creations,'

'Thirds…?' I stopped myself quickly when something sped past me.

'EARL!' Tyki jumped protectively in front clashing a black claw-like arm with the gleaming blade of Mugen. Well I guess Kanda's awake…

'What took you so long Bakanda?' Allen sneered as Kanda jumped back his hair dancing over his shoulders.

'Oh shut up Moyashi, I got smashed in the fucking head, it took me a while to grasp the situation,' I glared at the both of them.

'Stop bickering the both of you! We are outnumbered remember!' I reminded them coldly as they stopped their bickering and Allen knocked Sheril back retrieving an injured figure from the coffin.

'So there was a Third here…' I noted in a low voice. It earned me a frown from Allen as they try to make their escape.

'Wait!' I called to them, I knew it was a bad idea but it would seem that the Noah were quicker. Sheril moved the pipes through some sort of telekinesis and blocked all matters of escape.

'That was very rude Walker, may I remind you of the precarious position you are in, this is your party and it is very rude to leave it,' Sheril's eyes were dark and murderous but his word did make sense.

'He does have a point Allen,' I ran over to them observing the Third's wounds.

'Whose fucking side are you on?' Kanda spat at me but I ignored him, I was used to it already that it no longer bothered me that much.

'… Besides that, we also have a reunion in the process, do you remember Alma Karma?' Reunion? I turned around at there words and saw that the body of the young man was now bound in the similar pipes that blocked our only exit.

'Who is that?' Came Kanda's response but I think he was dully skeptical while he gazed at the person supposedly called Alma Karma. The Noah quickly reacted by glaring at Wisely.

'WISELY!' Wisely was slightly startled but resumed a defensive stare in return.

'This is Alma, Yuu Kanda… but if you don't believe me let Alma show you,' it was about then that I felt the atmosphere around us change and we were suddenly glancing at the floor under our feet.

'Walker! Kanda! Don't look at it!' The Third cried out desperately before I noticed that they slumped over.

'Allen?' I waved a hand in front of him and when that didn't work I knelt beside him and peered at his face. His eyes were white and blank and the same mark of the three eyes on his forehead.

'What did you do to them?' I shouted at Wisely who seemed mildly surprised by my outburst.

'Did shounen go there?' Tyki turned to Sheril.

'I think Road did as well…'

'Calm down miss, it won't take long,' Wisely's respond was cold yet calm. But that wasn't what sent shivers down my spine.

'Erase… an ability that allows the nullification of anything both dark matter or innocence,' The Earl spoke in quiet words as if he didn't want the prisoners lined up against the wall to hear.

'Huh?' My bemusement must have seemed humorous to him because his grin grew wider.

'Do you even know who you are, Lilith?' I stiffened at the name, it was the name that I was called in my dreams… but how could the Earl have known.

'Shut up! You know nothing about me!' I shouted at him. My hands scrambled around me till I grasped onto a piece of glass on the ground. I went to attack him but once again Tyki intervened taking hold of the glass and tried to wrench it out of my hands.

'My, my, Tyki's being out bested by a girl,' Sheril's teasing voice could be heard over the scuffle.

'Shut up, she isn't normal,' Tyki gritted through his teeth. It was tough to keep a grip on the shard. It was cutting into my hands, causing blood to flow freely and make my hands slimy. The redness slid over my hands and onto the debris below.

'… I don't know…' the tears fell without me wanting them to, my hands loosened and finally letting go I collapsed and lost all sense of reasoning.

….

_Blackness… I never liked it, it was never good but then again it wasn't entirely bad. Just a confusing mass that was difficult to judge. Thinking about it really made my head throb with a migraine. _

'_**You've been rather troublesome, Child of Memory,'** a single voice spoke out of the darkness. It was cold and…inhuman. There was no shred of sympathy or even a genuine human quality within that voice. _

_Who was that?_

_I might not know whom but they were definitely hostile. Then a horrible smell hit me, it smelt like blood a whole lot of it._

_I brought my hands to my face and gagged but the smell got stronger before I realized my own hands were soaked in it. Literally… like I had just plunged my hands into a pail full of it._

_But whose was it? It couldn't be…?_

'_**Lilith!'**_

….

'Lillian!'

I snapped my eyes open and gazed into the silvery eyes of someone familiar to me.

'Allen… what happened?' The relief in his eyes before I noticed the glistening tears at the corners was enough to tell me that he had feared the worse for me.

'Tokusa couldn't get the talismans out to everyone, he missed you… I thought you were dead,' I sat up out of his arms and gazed at the destruction around me… I didn't know that I had been sleeping that long!

I snickered at his concern before cupping his face in my hands.

'Oi, I've been through worse shit than this… besides what's going on?' I thought it was best to forget that I had ever had such a nightmare and focus on what was actually happening around me.

Allen had been correct when he said talismans, I could see the charred reminiscence of them lying around Johnny, Reever and the other scientists. But then my eyes fell on the tall figure of Kanda.

He was staring at something that stood amongst the fading dusty. I knew it was an akuma but what exactly it was baffled me.

'That's Alma Karma, the Noah turned him into an actually akuma using his own hatred for the Order,' Allen stood up but I clasped his arm quickly.

'Just don't doing anything rash, I've know you long enough to know what goes on in that small head of yours,' I said before the Third began to writher in pain.

It began from his left arm but his body was soon to follow, swelling and twisting as if it was a piece of play dough. I could definitely tell from his terrified expression that he had no control over his body. It was then that it hit me.

'Alma Karma is the mother womb of the Thirds, if Alma turned into an akuma, it would greatly affect the Thirds like a chain reaction!' I shouted at him before Allen suddenly attacked the Third. He too was wearing the shocked expression.

I then remembered that Allen had a parasitic innocence able to control his body like a puppet.

'Crown Clown, stop it!' Allen was desperate but I couldn't do anything to help him unless the innocence turned against me. I shuddered at that thought. But he somehow threatened it to follow his orders using his own life.

The Noah must have found this very amusing indeed as I noticed them perched on the highest point left after the explosion that most likely happened.

'If you come with us Allen Walker, I'll stop this little charade,' I froze; I knew it was the Earl's voice. The offer was reasonable and rather tempting since the Earl could possibly do just that since he was the Maker of akuma.

In his moment of distraction, the Third let out a large electric shock that stunned everyone there… except me… It was then that the Third grabbed hold of Allen and was starting to pull him apart.

'Stop it! Please, let him go!' I didn't… no, couldn't bare the agonizing screams coming from him as his leg was crushed as easily as a tree branch. The large creature that had once been the Third seemed to falter slightly and stared confusedly.

'Spirit Stone!' I recognized the voice of Bak; he must have been able to recover quickly through the break of the electric shock. He was holding out a large pearl-like object in front of him that began to glow.

Sudden Allen was whisked out of the Third's reach but some sort of person in a spherical orb.

'What's going on here?'

'Fou?' Allen seemed to know the girl who saved him. But I didn't worry about that, as Bak seemed to put a halt in the Third's destructive rampage.

'Allen, deal with Alma and Kanda, while we hold off the Noah,' I heard Fou say as Tyki came at her. Allen seemed reluctant to do so but I quickly got in his way.

'Allen, have you noticed the way Kanda's fighting… I may have only seen him fight a few times but I can easily tell his blocking out his emotions…' I pleaded with him as he glanced between the Third and Alma.

'He's just as hurt as Alma, you have to stop them from killing each other,' My final words must have hit home as he quickly glanced in the direction Kanda and Alma were fighting.

His only problem was his wounded leg.

'Shit I can't walk…'

'I'll fix that,' a voice suddenly spoke as both Allen and I jumped as some sort of catfish creature snapped its jaw around Allen's leg. We were shocked to say the least but I followed the trail and noticed that the old man was responsible.

'It's my healing golem, Altuda, but with this body I can only help once, please save the both of them,' I could tell the old man was stressed by the scene before him and gritted my teeth in fury. How dare the Noah bring something like that on him?

'I will,' with that Allen dashed off. But I couldn't help but wonder that there was something else that the Noah was planning.

Just something didn't seem right…

….

**Author's Note:**

**Well guys, I've posted this up for you so I hope you enjoy it!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three:

Allen was being beaten around badly between Alma and Kanda. His good intention probably weren't there; in his face I read desperation and a hint of hopelessness. It made me feel sorry that I ever persuaded him to act in the first place.

Despite those negative emotions dimly alight in his eyes, he held that undying determination he had always had. But I knew that at some point it would be his undoing.

I watched helplessly, I didn't know what I could do but watch. It was terrible but that was always how it was… I was a finder for the Black Order all I did was support them. But then what the Earl said frightened me.

He for some reason gave a name to my strange ability and the way he said it was… disbelieving? I was hoping I heard wrong as I glance up at the sound of Allen gasping in pain.

Alma had just shot him in the shoulder. The blood splattered from the wound that seemed quite deep and nasty. But as usual Allen just gritted through the pain and lunged straight at Kanda.

'Do you think killing Alma is going to solve EVERYTHING?'

'Allen don't!' I screamed at him though it was too late because Kanda impaled him with mugen… innocence… Allen then fell to the ground, blood seeping from that stomach wound.

I ran over to them as Kanda's clouded rage cleared to blank confusion as I stared at him. I could feel the tears falling from my eyes.

Between us, Allen's body was taking on that ember-tone that the other Noah's possess.

'Kanda, how could you…? The Noah cannot ever forget their hatred for innocence, the more you wound them with it the more that hatred gashes out,' he should have known that well enough for defeating a Noah before…

His eyes then focused on something behind me and I didn't doubt for a second that it was Alma.

'Alma?'

'Die Yuu!'

Sudden an explosion knocked us all off our feet and I crashed badly into some large chuck of concrete. It was painfully but I was thankful to see that Kanda had taken to saving Alma from an even rougher fall.

From our previous position, Allen seemed to be move… more specifically, Allen's body but the person who was taking hold wasn't the Allen we knew…

'Fools! I'll have to thank you for your contribution… especially Yuu Kanda, thanks to you the Fourteenth within your previous Allen has been fully awakened!' The Earl's glee was so genuine that it truly scared me.

The Earl had obviously been thinking about this all the time… it was clever yet slight cruel…Like killing two birds with one stone.

'…No…' My voice was barely a whisper.

The Fourteenth couldn't awaken like this, with his hatred for innocence blinding his actions. It would obviously spell doom for Allen a parasitic accommodator of innocence. It could destroy them both…

'DON'T DO IT!' There was the loud sound of millions of glasses shattering and it looked as if some sort of barrier surrounding us came crashing down.

It was at that point that Allen came to his senses, his cursed eye awakening with the clog spinning rapidly before his eyes focused on Alma. Something seemed to bother him but I was just glad that he seemed well despite injures he had sustained.

Unfortunately the events turned sour very quickly with Alma deliberately self-destructing. Allen became distressed by the time he realized it because seeing the souls of akuma, he could see them either get saved of destroyed forever.

The loud explosion sent me tumbling yet again and forced me to scrape myself out of the rubble just to see Allen slowly making his way over to where a brittle Kanda lay.

'Allen… Kanda,' I stumbled over to them noticing that Kanda wasn't healing like he usual would and that made me very worried.

'Alma was the one Kanda was searching for all these years,' Allen's words confused me but I had little to say when remnants of Alma began to form from the strange orb lying besides Kanda.

'I can't tell him… if he knew he would stop searching…' Alma's voice was small and strangely peaceful maybe Alma didn't want to kill Kanda after all but for a deeper reason that I would never truly know.

'But…' then Alma's body started to repulse as if twitching from a seizure. It was terrifying to watch as the dark matter that was supposed to have disappeared comes back to devour whatever remained of Alma.

'Alma!' I stopped Allen before he could do anything as I saw movement coming from Kanda's body.

'Moyashi…' that was all that was said from that samurai before Allen took him up to Alma who was slowly being devoured by the dark matter. I stood froze like the stone beneath my feet as he sent them both somewhere using his abilities of the Ark.

Rouvelier's voice of disproval howled at Allen's incorrect use of something that never originally belonged to the Order. He could choke on the blood coming from the corners of his mouth for all I cared because at least Allen, host or not, had more of a heart than that man.

At that point Bak's spirit stone broke in two and Fou disappeared leaving the others at the mercy of the monstrous Third… Allen turned his attention to the Third and rushed to their aid.

I followed him but I didn't know what else to do, so I stopped and watched as Allen tried to persuade the Third to quell the hatred that was overrunning his body. It looked as if it was working until talismans immobilized Allen.

'Allen!' I glared at the person who had done it and was not the least surprised to know it had been Link. There was I woman behind him but I didn't pay any attention to him.

'Let him go Link, he's trying to save the Third,' I yelled at him but he seemed to be only listening to that bastard Rouvelier who was shouting that Allen had gone mad… HE was the one going fucking mad!

'Link, please I need to save Tokusa!' Allen pleaded but his supervisor ignored him and the talismans remained where they were. Then the Third behind him lunged towards the defenseless Allen.

I acted then darting out in front of her suddenly that it caught her off guard and I landed a hard blow to her stomach. She hacked awfully as she recovered, in a daze several metres away from where I stood in front of Allen.

'Stop it, whatever you were told or have seen isn't real, everyone here has been played, even you…' I said, as her response was a flood of tears from those dark golden eyes just like an akuma and Noah.

She seemed lost and hurt just like a child, a small one. It was then that I realized that that must have been the reason most of the Thirds had given up their humanity. They obviously had no one to turn to but the Church.

'No he killed brother,' She lunged at us… no at me her mutated arm raised high above her but I didn't move. For some reason I, instead opened my arms and held her tight despite the racking pain I felt as those hit my exposed flesh. The blood flowed warm but I ignored it.

'Lillian…!' Allen's worried cry called out behind me but he was unable to do anything. Probably my wounds were just as bad as I had first thought.

'I'm fine Allen…' I said tasting that dreadful metallic taste in my mouth. But I focused on the smooth strokes I dragged gently through her knotted hair. Something a mother would do for her frightened child.

'Hush… this anger you feel is not your own… take deep breaths because there is nothing to be afraid of,' I whispered into her ear, I didn't know what compelled me to do so, I just felt like I had to.

The tension in her shoulders lessened and sobs wrecked havoc for her breathing. I was surprised by this response but I had little time to dwell on this as the loss of blood came over me and I fell into darkness.

….

_I was lying on my back my whole body aching; it felt as if I was suspended in a foul metallic smelling liquid. I stiffened because I knew it was blood… wait, I can't be having that same dream again with the blood._

_Then I heard footsteps, heavy and slow pacing through the large puddle. The squelching sounds were stomach churning and every each of my being was shivering in fear. _

_There was no doubting that this was real because I could feel the eyes on me, someone's eyes… peering through that cover of darkness._

'_**You surprise me Memories, surviving this long without a word of complaint…**' it was that same fucking voice, the one that came to me before calling me the exact same name. _

'_**Heh, you plan to get rid of me then…**' I gagged surprised my own mouth moved in response but the voice sounded older, still holding a mocking tone to it. _

_A growl came from the dark and I felt my whole body jerk across the floor, the blood soaking even more into the clothes I wore. Blood splattered across my face, I now knew it was my own. _

'_**Something like that… but your memory with be useful to me…**' I laughed, I must have found something funny because I was kicked again but the laughing didn't cease._

'_**Of course you would, but you can't… have you forgotten what I'm capable of?**' my voice seemed to chill the other into cold silence as I continued._

'_**Erase isn't just an ability to nullify, I can also alter the very memories that others possess… even my own…**' _

_Then pain flooded through my entire body and I screamed…_

….

**Author's Note:**

**I wonder… I have a slight idea of what I want Lillian to wake up too but I'd like to read some suggestions!**

**Please REVIEW!**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four:

I flinched when I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders holding me down as I thrashed around. The piercing sound of my screams filled the room I was in; I didn't know who it was because my eyes were unfocused and all I saw was a big smear of darkness.

But I could hear the rustling of skirts and the beeping of several types of machinery and that at least told me that I wasn't alone.

'Lillian!'

My eyes snapped open again and I stared into the sightless eyes of Marie. It was quiet for a bit till the sobbing made me shake uncontrollably. I clutched onto his shirt and buried my head deep within the folds of the fabric. His presence softened the horrors from that nightmare.

His response was slow but he seemed to make up his mind and began to pat my back in an effort to comfort me.

'It's alright, you're back home now…' was I? I couldn't help but question his words. Marie probably assumed that I had just relived what happened at the North America Branch but it was far worse.

'Head Nurse she's awake,' Marie called across the room and I heard the sound of someone rushing to my bedside.

'I heard the commotion,' the woman's voice was filled with concerned as I felt her warm hands draw my face away from Marie's chest to gaze at her. It was about then that I had a better view of the room.

There were several beds set up with someone occupying each of them. Choaji was one of them; he was withering in as the doctor stood there baffled by his condition. Lenalee on sitting on another her eyes clouded in grief.

Then I realized that no matter where I looked, Allen was nowhere to be seen. His injures were just as bad as anyone here, especially that stomach wound.

'Where's Allen?' I watched the colour drain from both of their faces, something was wrong; I could clearly read that in their expression.

'Where is HE?' I demanded loud enough for everyone in the room to glare at me in guilty silence. What was it that they weren't telling me? When it was clear that they were not going to answer I made an effort to get out of that bed!

'Lillian, you mustn't move, your injury is grave,' the Head Nurse tried to persuade me differently but being the stubborn person I was, I refused.

'This is nothing compared to Allen's, have you attended to him yet?' There was yet another silent response that I was sick of getting because my mind had figured out a single culprit.

'Rouvelier hasn't let anyone tend to him since Allen was imprisoned,' I knew it!

I ducked under Marie's arms and knocked over the trays carrying operational equipment on it. My hands quickly finding its way around the handle of the scalpel before I raced out of the room.

'Lenalee stop her!' was the distant call I heard from Marie as I skidded out of the door and into the hallway. My sudden emergence had caught several people off guard as they stumbled out of my way

I could here Lenalee catching up; she was using her innocence to move across the distant that separated her from me. Then the sharp gust of wind past me and I used the resistance of it to make a sharp swerve around her, catching her completely by surprise!

'Damnit,' I was surprised to even hear that sweet little girl curse as I quickly caught the familiar form of Rouvelier entering into the cafeteria. I quickly darted my way through, past the Crow that were following him before pinning his back against a table piled with food.

I ignored the grueling mess I had made in my rage but I didn't think for a second as I pressed the sharp blade against his throat.

The shock in his eyes was limited as it began to stare darkly back at me.

'What is the meaning of this, Lillian?' I growled and pressed the blade harder against his throat before slamming him roughly into the table again.

'That's my question! How dare you place Allen in prison with those injures?' The Crow were quick to recover but could do nothing as they saw the scalpel in my hand.

'He's a threat to the Order…' I slapped him hard across the face.

'Bullshit! You use that kind of excuse when you're in kindergarten… listen to this, you put him in prison to gain information that Allen knows little or nothing about going through tortuous methods to do so!'

I must have been scaring the life out of everyone present in the room; the dead silence was enough to tell me that they had heard everything that I said. But I couldn't care less about their fucking sanity or even the term of remaining calm.

He glared at me but I could see a quiver of unspoken words on his lips he wanted to say something but was completely stumped of how to respond.

'You appeared to be intelligent in some form Lillian…'

'Don't push it…' I seethed at him before a voice intruded most annoyingly. The sound of that voice made me freeze and instinctively jump away from whoever had decided to appear.

It was a man with pale blonde hair and circular glasses. He had a rather nice smile but it just gave me shivers. There was something off about him and I didn't like it at all as I glared at him.

'I'm sorry to intrude, Inspector but the board has requested your presence,' he continued on but the man's eyes didn't seem to match his smile. It was similar… no completely different from Allen's false emotions.

'I'm on my way,' Rouvelier said quickly readjusting his coat and passing past me.

'I'd be careful Lillian, you are next on my agenda,' I ignored Rouvelier's words glancing the other way in frustration. I knew that already by the furious stares I remember him giving me during the incident at the America Branch.

With that he walked out while I grind my teeth in fury. He really didn't have to say something like that when I clearly knew of it.

The man that intruded my little tantrum, I felt like I just couldn't trust him especially when he wore the uniform of some sort of man with the Vatican. He said nothing more and simply left the room, quietly. My gaze followed him out before I decided to throw the scalpel onto the ground at my feet.

It was at that point that Lenalee had finally caught up.

'Lillian what the hell are you doing?' she shouted angrily at me and I threw a glare over my shoulder.

'Giving Rouvelier a piece of my mind,' her purple eyes flashed when I said this.

'None of us agree with Allen's imprisonment, it isn't right…' I laughed at her words.

'Right? Hah since when have you had the guts to stand up to that vile man, I will not be intimidated by him unlike you Lenalee… always running to someone to protect you,' I could clearly tell that I was pissing her off with my words that she even hesitated to reply.

'Besides that, you weren't even there… the Earl had planned this, I don't even think his true intentions were to awaken the Fourteenth but most likely something else!' I earned several glares by this time even Komui was ushered into the room as I hurled my opinion at Lenalee.

'What's the meaning of this Lillian?' He ordered stepping in front of Lenalee who was still as speechless as ever. I ignored him and made to exit the cafeteria.

'I'm going back to the infirmary,' I stated as I left the room and entered the quiet corridors.

….

The night had progressed a little slowly but I went against my words of going to the infirmary like I had said to Komui. The stranger who interrupted me was still bothering me greatly.

I don't know what it was about him… the strangeness of his expressions even his manner of speech and the air about him… something was terribly off about him. But as I was pondering this I had to quickly duck into an alcove.

Like they say, speak of the devil and he'd appear… the man was walking silently down the empty corridor. However this particular way led to where the dungeons were below the Headquarters.

There was only one prisoner I knew that was being held there and that was Allen… It was puzzling that the man would even be in this part of the building especially with the number of crow guarding this place.

… I ducked back in the alcove as he glanced around. He must have quite a sixth sense to know that he was possibly being watched.

He then turned back and disappeared from my sight but since this was a one-way corridor there was only one area he would go to – the dungeons!

When I was satisfied that he was a good distance away from me, I stepped out of my hiding place and continued after him. I think it was about the first door leading to the dungeons that I knew something was very wrong.

How did I know? When one sees people, typically Crow lying unconscious on the ground, you would presume something was not right.

I knelt beside one of the men… he was still breathing but there were strange feathery tendrils streaming out of his eyes and it filled me with dread. Who would be able to achieve such a feat? It certainly didn't seem… human…

I continued on and the scene was just the same as the last, the groups of Crow were lying unconscious where they were stationed. This only increased my worries since Allen was the only one down here being guarded… was whoever or whatever this was, aiming for Allen?

My sense of dread grew heavy in my chest to the point I picked up a large spear that was hanging on the dungeon walls, probably spare weapons for the guards? My advance was slow and cautious; I hadn't sighted the man since he had disappeared from my sights just before the entrance of the dungeons.

That could mean that he could be around the next corner if I wasn't careful. Then caution was thrown into the wind as I heard I rather blood-chilling crash from one of the cells ahead.

I made out a shout or two, one of which definitely came from Allen. I raced straight to the source, dodging over the Crow lying on the ground and skidded into the arch of the doorway that was surprisingly wide open for an occupied cell.

But that was the least of my worries as I saw Allen being attacked by some strange white being… without thinking I acted quickly, side-stepping past him and burying the spear deep into that thing's throat.

Whatever it was, it was startle by my appearance but I didn't let it have time to recover as a stepped again and hurled it into the wall. The stone rubble came down on it before I was satisfied that it wasn't getting up anytime soon.

'Allen, are you alright?' I mentally slapped myself for asking such a question since it was obvious that he wasn't ok! He was as pale as some corpse ready for the grave and eyes that seemed to have seen horrors worse than I could even imagine.

'It's just the shock from coming into contact with Apocryphos…' I choked back my surprise when I saw Road securely wrapping her arms around Allen, cooing softly in his ear.

'Well at least your intrusions came in handy,' another voice growled as I glanced over my shoulder and noticed that there was yet another Noah present… I think his name was Tyki?

'What are you Noah doing here?' I asked in a low voice as I heard the rubble moved where that being they called Apocryphos be buried.

'Saving his ass,' I stifled a groan… typical and I don't have to think far that it had something to do with the Earl as well…

It was at this point that the rubble gave way and the white being stood seemingly unharmed by my attack earlier.

'I'm surprised you were even able reincarnate after wiping your own memories… Lilith,' I cringed and it wasn't because he called me by the exactly the same name as Adam did… it was that same fucking voice from the nightmare where I was lying in the pool of my blood.

The Noah seemed confused but I held my ground, standing in front of Allen. Though it didn't stop my hands from quivering the spear I held. I was scared; terrified even… it couldn't be possible that it was the same person, ah I mean thing!

'Shut up!' I lunged at it, well that had to be one hell of an idea to do so as the spear meet the Apocryphos' forearm and I was left to quickly deal with the recoil by stepping back quickly and swinging the spear upwards nicking its left shoulder.

Unfortunately my last attack was only successful because it was trying to disarm me by grabbing the handle of the spear and wrenching the whole thing from my hands.

'Damnit,' I hissed as I jumped back quickly before it could land any sort of blow. Letting my anger get to me really pissed me off more.

'How do you know Apocryphos?' I heard Allen asked behind me as I shook my head in response.

'I don't have any idea, my memory isn't what it use to be…' I laughed nervously before realizing that the Apocryphos had taken my distraction as a chance to attack me.

I narrowly evaded it but it just sliced dangerously close to my side, grazing the surface of my skin. My hand instinctively covered the gash to slow the bleeding but man did that kill despite being a mere graze.

This was a losing battle; I knew that for a fact as I watched Apocryphos come closes. Behind me, I sensed movement but I didn't turn around, I just prayed that it wasn't Allen. It was that train of thought that put me in danger and before a realized it Apocryphos was already in my face.

The memory of the blood, the pain… I didn't want to relive that again not ever and that was all my mind was screaming as Apocryphos was pushed back by some invisible force crash even further into the wall.

I was stunned because I barely knew what had taken place before I quickly turned to those behind me.

'We can't stay here, Apocryphos is out of our reach in power and in the state Allen's in, we are no match,' I rushed to Allen's side and supported him urging him through the wide open prison door. The Noah still seemed shocked but there was another time for that.

'Come on!'

I couldn't lead them the way I came unless the Crow had come to during the time since I past them and going straight into Headquarters with a prisoner and two Noah was definitely screaming heretic.

My decision, create a back exit no matter how noisy it was.

….

**Jesus Christ this took forever to write! (Ah sorry to any religious persons =_=')**

**But I made this a little longer to make up for my obvious laziness… it didn't help that my mind has been preoccupied with bloody exams and study…. Oh the math equations ~whimper~**

**Doesn't matter it's here and posted I hope you enjoyed it! C:**

**PLEASE REVIEW! XD**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter Thirty-Five:

'Who said I was going with you… why Lillian… why do even trust them?' Allen's words of retort stopped all of us from making any real progress. At this rate, the Apocryphos would come and take advantage of the situation.

But what stunned me more was why? I did trust them, more than I could ever have in the others who were so oblivious upstairs thinking everything was going to be okay for Allen.

'They- they came and saved you when no one else even I couldn't, your friends believe you are safe from execution and not being attacked by a sentiment innocence!' I shouted back at him. That probably wasn't a good idea because Allen looked quite hurt from my words.

'I- um, wait I didn't mean it like that…'

'It doesn't matter,' Allen spoke softly stopping me in my tracks.

Damnit I really had done it this time letting my tongue run like that. I hadn't even thought of the consequence of it, my actions had caused this. Shit, this wasn't what I wanted but if we didn't get away now Apocryphos would catch up and…

I felt something crash into me and it felt like a speeding carriage had just sideswiped me. The wall came crashing into me next or it felt like it and I barely had enough time to use my arms to shield myself from worse injures.

'Lillian!'

'Focus shounen, the bastard recovered!' I could barely make out those words as the world around me span out of control. I must have hit my head without knowing it as I struggled to get to my feet.

I felt for the wall, which was immediately beside me and used that to lean against. It was at this point that my vision cleared just in time to see Road throw herself between Allen and Apocryphos, shielding him from the attack.

Without thinking I hurled myself forward despite the pain screaming in the side of my chest as I lashed out at the monster just as it had done to me.

'We need to go, now!' I demanded since there was no time for argument as Allen grimaced and picked up the unconscious Road before blasting our way through to what looked to be a large garden. But there wasn't time to dawdle because we needed to move and get as far away from the headquarters building.

….

After that, things got hectic. Everyone in the headquarters building heard our desperate attempt to get away from Apocryphos and the alarms went off. But I grimly thought that Apocryphos could easily blend back amongst hence getting off rather easily for causing the most mayhem.

It was frustrating to say the least but could not be helped as Allen, the Noah and I made do with catching our breath in the densest part of the forest as we could.

'We should be safe for now,' Tyki panted leaning on his knees despite the bloody wounds that were on his palms. I then noticed the concern that quivered in his golden eyes as Allen laid Road down.

'Without Roads doors, we'll have to catch the Earl's attention to open the Ark gate,' Tyki grumbled but he didn't seem to complain much about Road's condition. I sighed deeply as I slid down the side of a tree and welcomed the cool damp earth brushing against my legs.

'Apart from that, is she alright despite being attacked by Apocryphos,' I was actually thinking this when I said it aloud, which was not my attention. Allen blinked at me as I gasped and covered my mouth.

'I don't know but Apocryphos' power is far beyond Allen's innocence, it'll be a while before we can expect her to awaken,' Tyki may have given us an explanation but I caught the uncertainty in his voice. He mustn't be confident in what he was saying at all.

Suddenly Allen's innocence flurried and strange white tendrils came alive from his left arm. I was absolutely mortified by the sight that it nauseated me to the point I had to look away. It must have been terrible for Allen since he was a parasitic type.

'Damnit! Deactivate your innocence shounen!' Tyki sounded slightly panicked as I returned my gaze as Allen struggled to even do that.

'What's going on?' I came up to the both of them as Allen gritted his teeth, his eyes alight with pain and helpless fury.

'I can't, it won't listen,'

'Then I'll cut it off for you,' Tyki voice was cold as he brought himself to actually do that but Allen was still quick despite his injures, Crown Clown activated. Though his innocence now resembled that of some sort of depraved skeletal figure draping his body.

'Why do you still depend on the innocence, shounen?' Allen ignored Tyki's question as he glared back. All while I stood there, not knowing what I could do to help.

'Who said that I was going to cooperate with you?' Not again!

'Allen, he was only trying to help, despite his inhumane efforts…' Tyki raised an eyebrow at me before straightening his shoulders.

'The girl's right, your innocence will lead Apocryphos straight here if I do not destroy,' I growled because I had yet to finish what I was saying.

'That doesn't mean you can DESTORY it, Pleasure!' I yelled making them before freeze.

'Geez, let me finish… Apocryphos is connected closely to the Heart hence it's its guardian and a mortal nemesis of the Noah, all innocence both fear and respect that being and are not so likely to go against it,' I was even surprised that I even knew something like that but even though I had caught them both by surprise, Allen was still quick to recover.

'I'm still an exorcist, you might be fine with this Lillian but I have a job to do and a promise to keep… why would I side with a monster like him!' Tyki laughed aloud, which baffled me slightly.

'The only monster here is you, shounen, you who have been chosen by both Noah and innocence… we have little time, I'll try and find Apocryphos while you get away,' with that the Noah disappeared into the night, Allen frozen to the spot as if he was as stunned as I was to hear such a thing.

I sighed not knowing what to say to even try and comfort Allen. I don't believe I have ever been in such a situation.

'Allen…'

'I-I don't know what to do? Why? I have been making my own path like I promised Mana and yet…' I groaned and strolled over to Allen who now lay slumped on the ground. I knelt beside him and pinched both his cheeks.

'Idiot~ stop playing the hero and be yourself,' I smiled as he gazed up at me.

'Don't stop…keep walking,' Allen and I both flinched as we heard the strained voice coming over from where Road was. She was barely conscious.

'Those were Nea's last words to Mana… cause Nea fought for Mana,' Allen lurched towards Road probably with similar questions as I but she disappeared in a cloud of yellow smoke.

I watched Allen clasp the empty air where Road once was and saw him stand up once again.

'Keep walking… heh I almost forgot that,' I looked at Allen's head as it rose to the black sky before it lit up with a gate from the White Ark. Then he turned to me.

'Are you coming?' I blinked at his question but I reluctantly shook my head, I had my own path to tread.

'No Allen, this is your choice, I only got caught up in this because I was suspicious of the man I saw in the cafeteria,' I almost found it funny as I giggled to myself. Allen looked slightly crestfallen by my answer.

'But that doesn't mean we will not meet again, I just think that I've realized who I truly am,'

'Huh?'

'The only reason I came to the Order was to return home, at first I though I knew but it was just my imagination. Then I slowly woke to the memories that I myself shattered so long ago,' I smiled sympathetically at Allen confusion that illuminated in the light of the Ark gate.

'Well that's what I've figured out so far at least that and my true name,'

'But you can't returned to the Order right? What will you do?'

'I'm going to find Tyki, I believe the Earl might help me,' Allen seemed taken back by my decision.

'Then we'll be…'

'Enemies? No, I still consider you a dear friend Allen, that is one of my true feelings,' I heard a loud explosion behind me and quickly came to the conclusion that the other exorcists would soon be arriving here.

'Lillian…?'

'Lilith, my true name is Lilith,' I smiled at him as he stared back not knowing what to do.

'Take care Allen Walker,' I said and slowly watched his mouth twitch into a small yet real smile.

'I'm off,' with that the white head disappeared through the gate and I was left to wonder when I would actually seem him again and whether or not he would be changed.

'ALLEN!' I heard the panting breath of someone I was well familiar with as I turned around to greet Lenalee. Her boots were activated and probably the reason why she had showed up so quickly.

'Why'd you let him go? Allen belongs here,' Lenalee seemed exhausted but her words remained sharp and very angry. Though I wasn't afraid at all.

'No, I don't believe that for a second Lenalee, besides staying here will only confuse him more,'

'No it won't! I believe Allen – he'll…' I felt my eye twitched in angry as I stormed over to her and shook her shoulders.

'What kind of friend are YOU?' Then I paused, I don't think it would be safe for her to know about Apocryphos, no one should ever have to face such a creature. So I took in a deep breath and let her shoulders go as she slowly fell to her knees.

'Lenalee, this isn't just about you, Allen seemed to have a critical role in this role that even I'm not aware of… if you believe in him then let him go,' I tried again but I found it extremely hard to keep the anger out of my voice.

Lenalee's dismayed face slowly turned into fury and I was left little time to act as she threw herself at me.

'You're not an exorcist so how can you be so close to him, all he sees in me is a friend but even he doesn't confide in me as he does to you,' I winced as we hit the ground roughly but I wasn't one to give up easily.

'I see Allen as family, is that to much to ask,' I slammed my head into her chin causing her to back off, it really hurt but what else could I do to get out of the death-like grip. She glared back at me, clearly frustrated by my retaliation.

'He's my family too!' I laughed at her.

'Oh really? Is that why you were so jealous of how close I was to him?' I sneered at her but soon started to regret it as I saw that her innocence reactivated and she prepared to use them.

This wasn't good, if it was dark matter I wouldn't be so worried but this was innocence, I don't know how my power could be used against that!

'Waltz Misty Wind!' I took a step back as I watched the torrent of wind spiral towards me but I didn't want to be beaten not that easily as I thrust my palm forward and met the tornado just as it was about to engulf me.

To my surprise and pain the wind quickly disperse but at a frightful cost. I could feel my body being sapped of the remaining energy that had held me together thus far. I collapsed onto the ground and coughed violently into my hand before feeling something warm and metallic-smelling being thrown up into my hand.

Blood…

Lenalee was surprised that her attack disappeared and was racked with confusion that clearly irritated her. I took the time given to rise slowly to my feet despite the protest to just fall asleep.

'I guess I overstepped my limits,' my words seemed barely audible even to me as I slowly walked away leaving Lenalee where she stood. I didn't care if she followed but there wasn't even a reason for her to do so. Allen was gone and that was the only reason why she was there in the first place.

Honestly there had been no point in starting a fight with her as I stumbled deeper into the woods. With Allen gone, the place seemed much more foreign to me than the place I had once called home.

Was that the price of regaining my memory? Maybe so but I had little to lose after all but a lot to follow on. I was following my own path just like Allen was trying to do.

'Oi, where's shounen?' I blinked out of my thoughts with a jump of shock. Tyki had somehow stumbled out of know where looking a little windswept and exhausted.

'Tyki? Ah, Allen left using the White Ark and Road disappeared,' It was probably best not to mention that she had said anything to him. Tyki sighed with irritation before looking at me.

'What are you going to do yourself?' I simply smiled at him.

'I'm going with you to see Adam,'

….

**Author's Note:**

**Sorry for the delay but I wasn't completely satisfied with this chapter and rewrote it a few times… =_='**

**Other than that I hope this is all right and that you'll enjoy it.**

**Please REVIEW!**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter Thirty-Six:

Tyki was reluctant at first to even let me see the Earl. He must have been unsure about why I would suddenly want to do so. But I had made my mind up and I knew I had to do this.

I followed the Noah as we journeyed down the dimly lit hall passing by many floating candles. It was kind of strange but these people weren't ordinary but than again I wasn't in the position to judge what was ordinary.

We stopped in front of one particular door and I noticed Tyki was hesitating.

'Are you sure…?'

'Just let her in Tyki-pon, I was expecting her anyway,' Wait the Earl was expecting me? I froze to the spot as the door opened. I could tell that I already doubted my decision in coming here but there was no turning back now.

I swallowed to moisten my dried throat and walked into the room. The room looked endless with the number of telephones sprawled about the place. The same candles lit this room as the hallway.

Towards the middle of the room were a simple round table and two chairs. On the table lay a china teapot and two matching cups and saucers. It really did look like he was definitely expected a guest.

I suddenly felt shy, what on earth was I suppose to say to him? Maybe start with a greeting or get straight to the point.

'I-I…'

'I didn't expect you to be reborn again after shattering your own memory,' I stopped myself from sighing with relief as the Earl started the conversation for me. A figure stood up from one of the chairs and turned to face us but his eyes were focused on Tyki.

'You may go Tyki-pon,' he waved for Tyki to close the door and it was when the door clicked shut that I found my words.

'So you go by the title, Millennium Earl, Adam,' I said slowly as it made sense despite it still confusing me. But that was the result of using my own powers on myself I suppose.

'You still don't remember everything, maybe it is for the best…'

'NO! I've been living a fantasy for who knows how long and I want some straight answers Adam,' I paused wondering why I had suddenly snapped. Adam looked shocked at first but relaxed slightly with a snicker.

'Don't have to be impatient Lilith, answers come with time but even I can't just give you the answers that you seek,' I felt my heart sunk before for some reason I somehow knew he would say that.

'I suppose your right, I'll remember in due time,' I forced a smile for the last part but my thought floated back to the living nightmare where I was killed by Apocryphos. It was the main reason I had destroyed my memory in the first place.

'You shouldn't have remembered,' Adam broke the silence as I glanced up to see him gesture to the seat across from him. I took it gladly and sank onto the frame, letting it take on my weight.

'You couldn't do anything, innocence is the bipolar opposite of dark matter, the source of Noah's powers,' I spoke lightly thinking back to the snowy forest where I had first 're-encountered' exorcists, Lavi and… Allen.

'What I don't understand Adam is why a fourteenth child was born to the family?' Adam grip on the teacup tightened till I was almost certain that the cup would break. I frowned as he placed the cup down leaned in on the table.

'I was surprise myself,' I looked at my hands and was startled to find that they were shaking and I clasped them together to settle them.

'My slow awakening… the Fourteenth… You've lost control of the balance haven't you?' Adam glared at me but I remained strangely unmoved. Then he sighed.

'Most of my plans have either been tempered with by the Order or failed. Soon enough the Fourteenth will fully awaken and that will be catastrophic…' I watched him lean back in his chair. The charismatic fool with the equally stupid grin I had seen in Edo and the North America Branch seemed nothing more then a human being.

I hesitantly reached over clasping his gloved hand. He flinched under it but soon relaxed.

'Then the next few months are crucial, right?' He lowered his glove and stared at me with his gold eyes.

'You are yet to be completed but it is nice to have the Noah of Memories home and where she belongs,' I felt my eye twitched with annoyance as I heard him say that. I knew Adam was implying that I went to the Black Order for a while.

'That isn't very nice,' I frowned at him before sitting back down in my chair.

….

Several months flew by with agonizing slowness. That did little to fuel my patience even with Adam who wasn't there half the time. He would show up for family gatherings but he was the Maker after all and had to keep the numbers of the akuma up for future plans.

Other than that, I took the time learning to control my power of Erase. It wasn't easy since my awakening was incomplete and potential dangerous if I overused. Tyki would help me but other than that the person I longed to see most was Allen.

But I couldn't, not yet at least and that's what I constantly told myself during those months.

I sighed impatiently and quickly moved away from the window in my room. I was in currently in Japan, Kyoto, since the Earl did completely flatten Edo during the battle with the exorcists almost a year ago.

Japan was still in control of the Noah family and now all the civilians were akuma. Not a single human was alive here. Thinking about it now was slightly depressing but I shook that thought out of my head as I grabbed my overcoat and quickly my way outside.

The winter days would soon give way to spring and the bare cherry blossom that grew in the garden would soon bloom. How I knew that? There were small green buds speckling the dark brown twisted branches.

I was slightly lonely only seeing the rest of the Noah during their free time. But most of the time Tewaku accompanied me. The Third knew little to nothing about her previous life being a member of the Black Order. She now only served the Noah family or more specifically me.

It was Adam's idea, or he just didn't want to say that he didn't trust me not to try and see Allen. He was always thinking ahead as usual.

I stifled a laugh using the sleeve of my kimono and stared into the rippling water of the pond. Several multi-coloured coy swam about as I knelt down and skimmed my fingers along the surface.

The silence of the place was false reassurance to me, I needed to move and soon… but when?

'_**Humanity has little to no remorse for the beauty of what has been created for them,'**_

I paused blinking at my reflection before I smirked… I have been having a lot of small voices echoing through my head. Adam assured me that it was just the small fragments of my memory as it slowly repaired itself.

'_**But then why does God give them a chance to defend themselves?' **_

A sharp pain seemed to explode in my head and I almost fell into the pond. My arm shook but it was enough to steady myself as I sat down on the grass… what was that? I knew it was different from the previous 'episodes' I've had before, much different.

'_**He thinks they can prove themselves of living but who's to say they will not returned to their old ways,' **_

These words began to worry me as I stood up with much difficulty and stormed back to the house. I noisily opened the paper slide door and gazed down either side of the corridor.

'Tewaku!' I shouted into the corridor until Tewaku appeared.

'Yes Mistress,' she said with a slight bow as I removed my shoes and proceeded down the hall.

'It's time that I begin to move,' I said as I reentered my room to collect a few of my belongings. Tewaku stared at me with a look of disapproval.

'But Earl-sama…'

'I don't care, I know it's right so just shut up and follow me,' she didn't protest further probably because I was a Noah and she a half-akuma. I regretted shouting at her but showed my frustration my slamming the drawer closed, breaking some part of it.

I was bothered by those words, they agitated me to the point I yelled at Tewaku. There had to be a reason why I was this irritated but maybe if I begin to move again then I'll find out.

I backed out of my thoughts as I fastened my cloak over my shoulders and walked out of my room to the Ark.

….

**Author's Note: **

**I'm glad I got another chapter up for you guys! C:**

**Please leave a REVIEW!**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

The town that Tewaku and I arrived in was the place where I could sense the presence of the Noah that was within Allen. Over the past few months the presence was growing ever stronger and it made me fear for Allen's own safety. But at the moment I focused on weaving through the streets.

I paused briefly to make sure that Tewaku was still following before a flash of white caught my attention. But it was only a brief glimpse before it disappeared into the alleyway. The tension that started to irritate me as an explosion shook the air about us.

'There's a battle going on,' Tewaku said as I nodded and we both hurried to the source. I sadly regretted not following that stranger that had dashed past me as I stopped suddenly a cloud of dust engulfed me.

I felt Tewaku's presence in front of me, shielding me from possible threats but I narrowed in on the sounds of a vicious fight somewhere in the mass of dust and debris.

There was an overwhelming presence within that cloud that had me extremely worried for whoever was battling it. I frowned in frustration as I quickly turned to Tewaku.

'Clear the dust, but not enough for the humans to see,' I ordered Tewaku who quickly summoned the talismans from the sleeves of her shirt and flung them into the haze.

A small explosion soon occurred and a path had been cleared as I hurried through with Tewaku on my heels.

As we entered the center, my assumption was correct despite it being in its human guise. But what shocked me the most was that the person who was fighting it was the last person I expected to see.

'Kanda!' I'd recognize the long dark hair any day. Apocryphos had managed to disarm Kanda and was proceeding to erase his memories just like he had done to the Crow guards.

'Bastard!' I hissed as I lunged forward in an attempt to engage Apocryphos but the thing snickered and ran off into the fog leaving Kanda to land heavily on the ground.

'Mistress?' Tewaku seemed panicked but relaxed as she realized I was fine. I ignored her for a bit and knelt beside Kanda relieved to find that he was still breathing. But those bloody feathery tendrils were a pain to see.

I winced slightly as I placed my hands over them and focused before sending a charge of dark matter through those dreaded things. Kanda's body jerked in response and I hesitated.

'Who are you? Get away from him!' A voice called as I glance up behind me to see Johnny about to attack me. Fortunately, Tewaku stopped him easily by gripping his forearm and neck.

'Be easy on him Tewaku, he's human,' I threw quickly over my shoulder as I placed my hands over those tendrils again. I was scared that would hurt him because I've never tried to reverse Apocryphos' abilities before or couldn't remember doing so.

The discharge left my hands again and I felt the tendrils retract and wither as I sighed with relief. Kanda would be luckily to remember this incident as I quickly stood up and faced Johnny who seemed much surprised to actually see my face.

'Long time no see Johnny,' I smiled at him before turning quickly to Tewaku.

'Carry Kanda, we need to get to a hotel quickly,' Tewaku seemed likely to protest but thought otherwise and did as I said, letting Johnny go.

'Lillian, what are you doing here? What happened…?' He was asking to many questions that couldn't be answered in the short time before the dust complete cleared.

'I'll tell you once we get away from here… also grab mugen,' I pointed at the katana laying abandoned on the floor.

….

Johnny and I sat in awkward silence; well it definitely felt that way to me as we waited for Kanda to wake up. But what confused me most about the situation was that Johnny was here… wasn't he supposed to be working in the science division right now?

'Why are you here Johnny?' I asked besides it was better to be sure than guess what was going on in the other's mind… I wasn't a mind reader like Wisely…

'I quit being a scientist and went looking for Allen…'

'I knew that, but I doubt it was easy since Kanda's here as well,' I interrupted him without meaning to as Johnny fell silent and gazed nervously at his hands.

'What about you? You disappeared the night Allen ran away,' I blinked at him curiously, hadn't Lenalee said anything about our confrontation? Hmm, never mind that as I stood up and walked over to the window.

'I went home, Johnny, the signs were all there yet I was naïve enough to ignore them,' a laugh escaped my lips for a brief second. Beats me why but it helped release some tension in my chest.

'Are you looking for Allen too?' Johnny asked catching me off guard as I glanced at him.

'No, it is still too soon for me to do that,' I was disheartened when I said this. I sat back down only to be distracted by movement coming from the bed beside us. It would seem that Kanda was finally waking up.

'Good afternoon Kanda,' I chimed at him as he sat up and held his head painfully. He probably didn't even realize that I had spoken to him.

'Kanda are you okay?' At least Johnny was bold enough to go to Kanda's side as the man began to register where he was… then he noticed me.

'What are you doing here?' He seemed angry and was trying to reach for something but failed to do so. I snickered at his reaction before lifting up mugen that was leaning beside me.

'Looking for this? Well I'm not giving it to you just yet because I need to confirm a few things with the both of you,' Kanda growled at me but did nothing probably because of the throbbing headache he seemed to have.

'Do you have any fucking clue what's going on? I was attacked…'

'That's Apocryphos,' I said calmly as they both turned to me.

'The reason you shouldn't get too close to Allen is because that creature is tailing him,' I explained to their confused expressions they gave me.

'You mean that's the reason Allen was angry at us?' I shrugged at Johnny since I wasn't there, I couldn't really be so sure about it.

'What kind of bastard goes by that name?' I rolled my eyes at Kanda. He was his usual stubborn self as always.

'A sentient innocence,' they quieted down after that, frowning as if I had lost it. I simply smiled at them before dropping it just as quickly.

'You are lucky I was there Kanda or else you wouldn't have remembered the attack at all,' Kanda fell silent at this and just held his scowl that made me cringe. Johnny held an inquisitive gaze as if he seemed to recall something.

'How did you save Kanda?'

'It wasn't easy mind you; you do know that innocence and dark matter can cancel each other out, right? Well that's what I did,' just when I said this, Kanda lunged at me despite his headache and aimed for mugen. He would have succeeded if Tewaku didn't burst into the room at that moment and stopped him.

'You're a Noah?' A forced a smile as I nodded for Tewaku to let him go before holding up mugen.

'That's why I have this, but I have no interest in destroying it, it won't help me,' I said before throwing the sword over to its owner. Kanda looked genuinely surprised by this before I stood up.

'What do you mean Lillian?' Johnny's question made my chest tighten.

'I'm… not in a state that I can fully help Allen yet. Apocryphos is following him like a bloodhound and those don't stop till they have their prey,' I felt hurt saying that but it was true despite not remembering what it exactly felt being one of his prey.

'Moyashi isn't that weak even if he can be naïve,' I raised an eyebrow in surprise as Kanda spoke while looking out the window.

'Were you trying to cheer me up?'

'In your dreams,' I giggled softly; even Kanda could have a heart if he wanted too. But then something distracted me… so they were here as well… Then I walked over to the door and placed my hand on the door handle.

'Where are you going Lillian?' Johnny went to stand but I held my hand up to stop him.

'We part ways here, I have business elsewhere but you should think about leaving town soon,' I said as Kanda got out of bed and glared at me.

'Why should we do as you say?' Typical Kanda I suppose as I sighed and turned away from the door.

'Some Noah are in town, might not want to run into them in the state your in Kanda,' I proceeded to open the door with Tewaku following close behind before I remembered something.

'I paid for the accommodation so just leave when you're ready,' I grinned at them before closing the door behind me.

….

We exited the building and joined the crowds rushing around on the street. Tewaku was beside me with her hood pulled down over her face to hide the akuma markings on her face. But I could tell she was slightly bothered by something.

'Why'd you tell them that Jasdevi-sama was here?' I groaned at her seriousness. So that was what she was thinking about?

'It's simple, so they don't run into them,'

'But Earl-sama…' I cut her off.

'… He can think what he likes, but Jasdevi are after Apocryphos at the moment so it won't be wise either way,' Tewaku fell silent though I her easily feel her doubts. I sighed as we continued to another part of town.

We didn't get far till I found what I was searching for…

'Fucking hell, where'd the bastard go?' I held in a moan as we rounded the cornered and that was how I found them. The Twins were as frustrated as ever as they began to randomly blast around to vent their anger.

I don't get how they were twins, with one having blonde hair and the other with dark hair. But they synchronized movements told a different story because their shooting spree seemed to be mirrored on both sides of the street.

'Should we stop them Mistress?' Tewaku asked nervously but she seemed reluctant to do so as I shook my head.

'No let them vent for a bit,' I said with a slight twitch to my eye. I didn't want to get caught in that crossfire either.

'Oi, look it's Lilith, hee~' Jasdero was the first to notice us as Devit paused slightly and glanced over his shoulder, his brows creased with annoyance.

'What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be in Kyoto?'

'Yeah, Kyoto, hee~' I rolled my eyes and ignored there question.

'I was doing something unlike you,' I was teasing them since I already knew why they were here in the first place. I just didn't understand why Adam let them.

'Shut up! We were doing something but the bastard got away,' Devit yelled angrily pointing the barrel of his gun towards me, but he wasn't going to shoot.

'Right~ just like the time with General Cross,' I snickered as both their faces went blank. I was aware of the Twins previous mission to kill a certain General thanks to Tyki. It was amusing to say the least and Jasdevi never liked being reminded of it.

'Why'd she have to bring that up?' Devit hissed to Jasdero, his frown deepening the angrier he got. Jasdero just jittered instead of answering his twin.

'With that aside, there's no point in us staying here, Allen has left as well as Apocryphos,' I broke into their bickering as I folded my arms and waited. Soon enough a dark gate was summoned and I walked towards it.

'Hurry up then,' I called to them before disappearing with Tewaku behind me.

….

**Chapter 217 raw is out and I'm sooooo happy just have to wait for it to come out in English… XD!**

**Hmm… that'll be it for this chapter so I can begin working on the next. **

**Please REVIEW!**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter Thirty-Eight:

When we exited the Ark gate it was into the dining room, several other Noah was there. Maashiima, Wisely and Lulubell were sitting impatiently at the long table and I saw no sign of Sheryl or Fiidora yet, which wasn't a good thing. It just meant they were still 'busy'.

I shivered at the thought and took a place at the table. I also noticed several akuma servants in the room standing off to the shadows waiting to be called. Jasdevi took a seat at the other end of the table, probably to stay away from Adam when he eventually came.

It was amusing to watch till Raasura walked in assuming his spot across from the Twins… that wasn't good at all. Since the new Noah of Wrath had awakened the Twins had made it their mission to be difficult with Raasura, which made it almost unbearable.

I glanced away as the Twins began jeering and my eyes caught Lulubell. She was content with her glass of milk; it was her habit and a healthy one at that… maybe because I haven't heard of consuming too much milk being unhealthy yet.

Her cat-like eyes were never readable so I could barely tell what she thought of me but I didn't mind. At least we never quarreled like Raasura and Bondomu. Suddenly something sped past my face and landed with an awful splat on the pristine tablecloth.

They were at it again! I leaned into my chair as a plate sail past me and smashed against the floor. An akuma quickly picked the mess up but stayed away from the table as food was thrown across the room.

The other Noah just ignored them because they were use to it… but I wasn't, I hated it… they were wasting damn good food for Heaven's sake!

While I was distracted, something mushy was sent into the side of my face and slid down onto my collarbone. Oh that was IT!

'Bondomu, Raasura you will quit this immediately!' I glared at them making them both sink into their seats. They were both covered in a decent amount of food each as I grabbed a towel from an akuma and wiped as much of the food… mash potato I realized… off myself.

I stood up to leave since my clothes were ruined because of their childish games and walked past them.

Walking out of the room, I could hear that they had started again but Adam could deal with it when he got there.

….

After getting a clean change of clothes I walked out of my room to bump into Tyki. He must have just come back from watching Allen because he was still readjusting his suit.

'How's Allen?' I quickly asked as Tyki frowned at me.

'No greeting, you're almost as bad as Road,' I pouted at him and hit his arm for that comment.

'Well sorry, but how is he?' Since I couldn't see Allen personally he could at least answer my question. I was really worried about him especially with Apocryphos so close to him.

'He's fine, probably on the train to the next town,' I sighed with relief as we walked down the hall.

'I still don't like how you're using him to bait Apocryphos,' I grumbled at him, as Tyki seemed to pat my head.

'It's just for now,' Tyki entered the dining room as I paused. I could help but feel amused as I heard him groan because he must have seen the mess in there. I didn't want to enter there at the moment so I turned on my heel and headed elsewhere.

Journeying to the lower levels of the Ark rooms, I heard a frightful agonizing yell enough to almost make me jump off the staircase.

I presumed that Sheryl was beginning to get a little too reckless with his methods knowing the people he was torturing were quite stubborn. But that didn't mean I proved of his methods, it was… barbaric?

Upon approaching the door I heard a loud crash before I decided to knock. Fiidora answered but his brows creased when he realized I was the one who had knocked. The Noah of Corrosion never liked me and he made it obvious by ignoring me unless it was necessary.

'What do you want?' He asked, as I noticed the cold tone in his voice. I just smiled at him to annoy him before taking a peek behind him.

'You and Sheryl should be getting to the dining room, Adam should be arriving soon,'

'We'll miss out on this family dinner,' Fiidora spoke to me and went to close the door in my face but I put my foot in the way.

'Family dinners are rare nowadays, you have to attend,' I rough shoved him as best I could. He was a head taller than I was and a bit heavier too. I noticed Sheryl fuming to the point that it was coming off of him in waves.

I barely recognized the redhead I use to know as he was pinned against the wall, grinding his teeth against the pain Sheryl was dishing out on him.

'I said talk Bookman!'

'Ahem,' Sheryl paused before turning to glare at me.

'What are you doing here?' I rolled my eyes as I walked over to him before taking a grip on his wrist. The contact immediately stopped the Noah of Desires' ability causing Lavi to fall heavily to the ground.

'An invitation~ you have to attend dinner tonight,' I chimed ignoring the death stare he was giving me. Sheryl had been a little grumpy… that's an understatement… ever since he found out Road had disappeared and apparently he had quite an obsession with her.

He didn't trust me and that was explanatory since I once was a finder for the Black Order.

'Fine,' Sheryl got up and left the room with Fiidora. When they closed the door, I sighed with relief.

'They left finally,' I spoke aloud but could help but feel eyes boring into my back as I turned to see Bookman looking at me.

'What? Aren't you happy that they stopped?' I asked innocently before taking Sheryl's seat.

'Are you not here for information?' Bookman's voice was harsh as I winced.

'My powers are not the type for torture unless I want them to be, but talking should do fine,' Bookman raised an eyebrow at me probably curious as to why I was even with the Noah Family to begin with.

'I'll reintroduce myself then, my name is Lilith, the Noah of Memories,' I smiled politely to them both despite knowing that one of them wasn't fit enough to look at it.

'Why are you here Lilith?'

'No one can remain 'grey' Bookman, even I can't, it'll be best if you chose a side and stick to it… I'm aware of your partnership with the Noah several decades ago,' I spoke while gazing away from Bookman; I didn't want to see the glare I knew he was giving me.

Adam told me about the events thirty years ago, Bookman joined them only temporarily but that was to gather information for the records. At the time, Bookman had another apprentice who was killed when Bookman 'betrayed' the Clan. It also happened to be the time when the Fourteenth Noah was present.

I frowned when I thought about there being another Noah, there had only been thirteen Apostles to begin with, excluding me. I didn't like it because with Allen the successor of the previous Fourteenth and accommodator of innocence, it was obvious that things had gotten precarious.

'Bookmen only observe and record the hidden history of this world…'

'Too the point that you are willing to strongly make presumptions about the future… that's unlike a Bookman,' I didn't mean to sneer but the old man was being hypocritical and it was getting annoying.

'I don't understand what you're talking about,'

'You predict that Allen would destroy Adam but I don't believe that's the case since 'time' has other meanings,' Bookman looked taken back but whether it was because I said the Millennium Earl's true name or not didn't interest me.

'We only hoped it would be…' The old Bookman muttered under his breath but I managed to catch it. I sighed and strained a smile.

'Prophecies are never accurate nor are they absolutely true… you can't hold hope in something that could only have been temporary,' I felt sad saying this because it reminded me of the time I had believed I had a 'normal' family… a mother and a father and one annoying older brother.

Bookman must have caught my sadness because he spoke next to my surprise.

'What is it that you want?'

'To continue your work for the Noah Family and in exchange for that I'll send Lavi back to the Order since he is unaware of your personal contacts with the Clan,' I tried reading his expression but it remained unreadable. But I was sure that he was contemplating it.

'I don't believe Sheryl will like it that much,' I snorted at his remark as he gave a small snicker.

'If his got a problem he can come to me or even better… he can talk to Adam,' I stood up and walked over to where Lavi was lying on the ground. He hadn't moved since I had freed him from Sheryl's influence but he looked pretty beaten up as I gently turned him over.

I noticed that his eye twitched before I smiled.

'You heard all that didn't you?' Lavi's only response was a weak smile as I ran my hand gently along his limbs and chest. It looked like Sheryl had been a little too rough as I winced at the many broken bones my fingers ran over.

Then I paused my hand over the young Bookman's chest before pressing my hand into his chest cavity. I didn't have Tyki's ability to 'choose' but it could get rid of the parasite that was bugging me and causing Lavi pain.

When I finally got that slimy thing out, I then reached into my skirt and pulled something from it before pressing it into his hand before curling it.

'Tewaku!' She appeared immediately in the door way and came to my side within a few strides.

'Yes Mistress?'

'Take Lavi and give him to the exorcists on a mission in Romania,' I replied as Tewaku did just that. But it was when she left that I got serious with Bookman. I had wanted to say this from the beginning but I doubted that Lavi knew about its existence so I felt it till he was out of the room.

'It's on the move again, Bookman, and it's after Allen,' Bookman glanced down but I couldn't quite tell where he was looking.

'I see…'

….

**Author's note:**

**Hey all! Got this chapter up and I hope you enjoy it**

**Please leave a REVIEW! XD**


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty-Nine:

'_W-wait!' I cried out but my small voice remained unheard of by the girl dragging me behind her. She and I were the same height but her silvery hair shimmered as the warm sun bathed on us as we skirted around the flowerbeds._

'_But it'll be awesome Lilith!' the girl said with enthusiasm as she turned to stare at me with those azure blue orbs. _

'_And we're not suppose to go there! Jehovah will be mad at us for going near that place,' the girl snorted harshly and we stopped._

'_You're such a goody-goody, Lilith, try something else for a change,' I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew her and the place we were in… heck I knew what I was even talking about... I just couldn't remember. _

'_We are one and the same, Lilith,' _

'_Then stop making me do things I don't want to… I don't want us to be enemies,' I murmured under my breath only to look up and notice that the girl was no longer there. Even the garden gave way to darkness. _

_But through it all, I heard a malicious laughter echoing around me. _

'_**I will destroy you this time Lilith, and I will be complete!' **_

….

I woke from my dream with a dreadful shudder. Those last words had scared me shitless! It sounded horrible but I was positive that it did not belong to Apocryphos… it was someone else.

I sighed again hoping to lessen that tension I felt dragging in my chest before I slipped out of bed and walked over to the wardrobe. It had been a while seen I last had one of those but even still… I was as confused as before.

I had come to the conclusion that those 'dream' were in fact shards of my original memories but if so. Why were the harsh nightmarish parts of my memories the only things I remember? Maybe not all of them…

I slammed the wardrobe closed in frustration causing someone outside my room to drop whatever they were carrying. Probably wasn't the best idea I had for venting my anger but I shrugged it off and got dressed.

But my worries just worsened when I exited my room and saw Wisely standing out side my door.

'What do you want?' To be frankly honest I didn't want to be dealing with the fifth Noah in particular. He held some sort of fiendish delight in knowing others thoughts but because of my ability he couldn't even tell. I was grateful for that because I had the privacy the others would gladly like to have.

Wisely wasn't one to keep his promises when it came to his ability…

'That was quite a loud bang coming from your room,' he said as I plainly ignored him and walked straight past him. I really didn't have time to deal with him; I had to see Adam and now would be nice since he wasn't as busy as he normally was.

'Fine, you don't have to explain that,' Argh! He was still following me… damnit! I truly wasn't in the mood for his antics since that dream had me slightly on edge. Why the hell was it bothering me so much?

'Oi… Lilith…'

'WHAT?' I demanded as I quickly spun around so I was facing him directly. Wisely was smart enough to back away when he saw how pissed I was getting.

'Whoa, you don't need to take it out on me,' Oh really? I almost said that to him but I forced myself to at least show some sort of manners even if it was still morning.

'I have a lot on my mind right now… and don't even ask,' I warned him as I turned on my heel and stalked away. Unfortunately he was still following.

'I wasn't going to ask anything,' he was smug about that remark, I could here it in his voice but I kept walking.

'I rather doubt that,' I huffed over my shoulder as I turned the corner and reached for the door. But I paused and stared at Wisely hoping he would leave now.

'What?' I frowned at him before grabbing his ear quicker than he could react and tugged his ear hard.

'Annoy someone else,' I said as I let his ear go and entered the room and closed the door behind me. Adam must have heard the racket outside because he was staring at me with amusement alight in his eyes. I didn't mind that much but it was what he looked like that bothered me more.

He was in that ridiculous pompous form of his, I really couldn't take him seriously… until he got anger than that was a different story.

'You should be kinder to them, Lilith,' he stated before turning his back to me and resumed whatever was on his lap. I scooted to his side and raised my eyebrow when I noticed that at some point he had taken up knitting. I had to admit, he was pretty good at it.

'You shouldn't spoil them so much,' I murmured as he just rocked in the rocking chair he was sitting in. I made do with leaning on the nearby table with my arms crossed over my chest.

'Adam?' he just hummed in reply or that's what I hoped he did anyway.

'Why am I only remember fractures, most of them have been nightmarish… was my past that dreadful?' Adam paused from his knitting.

'Not really but you know I can't explain that to you,'

'Yeah, yeah, I have to remember it on my own,' despite sounding a little discouraged, I felt slightly better having talked to him. I shrugged at my own theory before one of the many phones rung.

When that happened, Adam was up in an instant and skipping over to it before picking it up.

'Yes, Millennium Earl speaking… why that's wonderful I'll be over in a jiffy,' his conversation with the stranger was strange but I've come to know that they were brokers that Adam dealt with. I sighed as he hung up.

'I still don't know how people find that form frightening, it's very amusing to me,' Adam seemed to freeze before glancing over his shoulder, eyes stone cold… maybe I over did it a little.

'… Unless you do that I suppose,' I shrugged as he came back over and slumped back into the rocking chair.

'It doesn't matter what form I take and besides that I wouldn't be talking since you were a finder,'

'That's an occupational change Adam, you completely change you appearance… it just feels like I'm talking to a jesting fool,' I glanced down at my hands knowing he wasn't going to be pleased with my words once again.

'True… still I have another job for you that only you can complete,' I looked up only to find he was only a few centimeters away.

'Hyaa!' instinctively a punched him, by accident though but he took the hit rather well and he stepped back.

'W-what is it?' I said breathing deeply to steady off my scare. I just hope he wouldn't do that anytime soon,

'Go to the Tower of London, that's all I'll say…' he turned as I stared at his back.

'Huh?' I was suspicious; first of all I wasn't allowed to move around much for the past few months and now I be given my first mission… second if I think about it.

'Don't worry, you'll have Tewaku remember,' I frowned at him.

'No that's not what I'm worried about,'

'Then what?' I sighed and shook my head. I don't think Adam needed to know that I didn't have a clue why. His response was a chuckle, which just annoyed me slightly.

'I'll go then,' I called over before grabbing Lero who was hovering nearby and opened the door before bringing the unfortunate golem down on the person who was eavesdropping.

'Didn't I say to annoy someone else,' Wisely flinched while rubbing his head and Lero began complaining that I used him similar to what Road does.

….

Tewaku and I had departed immediately after I had whacked Wisely over the head a few more times. I even threatened to give him a chronic headache if continued to stick his nose where it didn't belong.

But with him aside, I was surprised that we arrived at London late at night. Well time did lag within the Ark since I lost sense of time unless I glanced at a clock.

Though the time was very late, there were still people bustling about… most of which were akuma that did a curt nod if they caught sight of me. Other than that, they mostly left me alone as I made my way to the Tower of London.

As I made my along one of the roads that should lead to the place Tewaku suddenly grabbed my arm and we ducked into the shadows of a tree.

'Mistress we are not alone in going to the tower,' I frowned at the Third's cautiousness but I held my tongue from saying so as two exorcists came into view. They were both rather familiar to me because they were Lenalee and Choaji.

This wasn't good I supposed because Tewaku might have been right about their destination.

'How far now Lenalee?' Choaji asked he was glancing around him rather nervously. I just hoped they hadn't seen us duck for cover as I glanced at Tewaku.

'Call all akuma in the area and distract them for me long enough so that I can reach the Tower first,' I ordered as Tewaku did just that and leapt away from my side. She landed several metres in front of them causing the exorcists to grasp in shock and surprise.

'You're a Third? What are you doing here?' Tewaku didn't seem affected by their worlds as the akuma within this vicinity surrounded them.

'I'm just following orders,' thank you Tewaku, I murmured to the wind as I speed away with my cloak fluttering behind me like black wings. I had to hurry just to make use of the time that they were giving me.

The gate soon came within my sights as I skidded to a halt and glanced around the empty courtyard. The garden was well maintained and the stones shone under the crescent moon.

It was probably about then that I noticed that I wasn't the only one there as I spun around just as I figure stepped out of the shadows of a tower.

'It's been way too long, I hope you've been having fun,' I gasped as I stared at her probably looking like a fish out of water with my mouth hanging open. She was about my height, a white dress illuminated in the moonlight with light blue lace and ribbons dancing on the gentle breeze.

But what shocked me most was the resemblance she had to I, this girl looked exactly like me… a splitting image of me! It was just that a mischievous grin curved her lips upwards causing shivers to run down my spine.

I knew her…

'Eve…'

….

**Dun dun duuuun! I'll leave it here for now so I hoped you enjoyed this chapter**

**And please leave a REVIEW!**


	40. Chapter 40

**Fortieth chapter people! Thanks for your support and please continue doing so by leaving a review! XD**

Chapter Forty:

If I had wanted to, I would have already collapsed onto my knees right then… Eve… I'm remembering now.

'What? Don't I get a hello from my twin?' Eve sneered as I growled at her. She simply tilted her head at me as if questioning my anger. What was I going to say to her? No, better yet, I couldn't say anything at all as my head reeled with memories… the ones I had lost so long ago.

'I doubt even saying it will be satisfactory to you,' I finally said ignoring the slight throbbing in my head. She just hummed as she tried to step closer but I cautiously took a step back.

'Hmm, slightly being the little goody-goody I suppose… how's Adam? Is he the one that led you here?' I felt my eye twitched when she mentioned Adam, the way she had said it was full of scorn and hatred… How dare she!

'I'm surprised he knew where you were all this time, but that would mean you lost sight of it,' I was teasing her now as her eyes danced dangerously.

'Shut up, Lilith!'

'Other than that, you had tried to kill me 7000 years ago in order to obtain my memories, Eve. Pity it failed,' I snickered as I watched her shoulders shudder with rage. But as soon as I saw that, Eve began shaking with laughter before staring at me with eyes as blue as the clearest sky.

'Heh, true I was absolutely disappointed that Apocryphos failed to accomplish what I set it to do… but…' she held her right hand in front of her and I just watched as it began to glow a light green… shit!

'Because of your little stunt, I was sent to sleep because you dare shatter your memories, Lilith!' With that she lunged and I barely saw the sword coming as I flipped back.

But as quickly as I landed on the ground she lunged towards me brandishing the long sword shimmering bluish silver.

Swinging my left hand in front of me my own sword was summoned and the metal clashed with the sound that belittle the roaring thunder. The aftershock sent us both back and I stumbled just to regain my footing.

Eve just fell over and I watched her grizzle as she stood up and brushed her dress off but I doubted it was from falling over.

'Why are you not going all out Lilith? Are you still that good little girl I had left in Eden?' I ignored her as I noticed that we were no longer alone. With one glance over my shoulder I saw that Choaji and Lenalee had finally caught up.

'You're my sister Eve, we are never meant to fight in the beginning so why drag humans into this,' I yelled back before I was distracted and I turned quickly to see that Choaji was trying to launch an attack at me.

I looked at him hopelessly as I raised my hand and caused the air around me to solidify. The exorcist bounced back against the recoil as his fists slammed against the invisible shield.

Choaji seemed shocked by what he had just hit before I saw a flash of white pass me. I soon realized it was Eve as she quickly stood by Choaji's side and slammed him hard with the back of her hand sending him many more metres away.

'Choaji!' Lenalee called out rushing to his side as Eve turned her back to me to look at them.

'Stay out of this exorcists, this is between my sister and I, interfere and I will not guarantee your life,' my blood chilled when she said that because it reminded me of another stubborn soul I had met during my days as a finder.

She turned back to me as I stared into her eyes once more before she smirked.

'Fine I'll let you off for now, Lilith but next time I will claim your memories and become complete!' With that she disappeared from my sight, I closed my eyes for a second then turned away. When the sound of humming heralded the arrival of an Ark gate I stepped through it.

On the other side I saw the Earl standing there as if expecting me to show up. He was after all, the one who opened the goddamn gate…

'… Was that the reason you didn't tell me? You knew she was there and you didn't tell me!' I was loud but he face remained still yet soft. Memories, those bloody memories…

It was all coming back to me… about Eve, the battle 7000 thousand years ago, meeting Adam… and even the Heart.

NO! It was at this point I regretted even trying to remember anything. I had thought it would be good; it would help me understand why I was here. But it had only help fuel the dread I was already feeling from the emptiness inside my head.

'Yes I knew she was there, and in a vulnerable state but I couldn't do anything unless I harmed you as well,' Adam seemed sorrowful when he said this but he can be misleading that I don't even try. My eyes stung with tears as I rushed forward just to be in his embrace.

It must have been instinct or something because no matter how terrifying or outrageously pompous he could be. The Earl at least had a heart; he was willing to lend a shoulder if any of his family felt unstable when they awoke from their slumber.

….

_I must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I knew I had found myself suspended once again in darkness. But it wasn't the threatening darkness had I been having nightmares about. _

_It was mildly pleasant and for my relief, peaceful as I continued to float in the void of nothingness… wait! I couldn't help but except the feeling that I had been here before. It wasn't just a simply lifeless dream… this was an actual place…_

_**Earth has reached a fatal predicament, the clock has began again for the destruction of humanity… **_

_I blinked as a deep heedful voice echoed about me… yep that just confirmed it, this place was indeed alive and not something of my imagination. _

'_This war will end in a stalemate?' I breathed my skeptical thought into the inky blackness. I could sense a presence that couldn't be seen by my eyes, it probably didn't have a body. _

_**Lilith, child of Memories and His left hand… with Eve's reawakening the countdown has jumped considerably towards the near future… we cannot fail…**_

_I felt frightened at first but did move… more like couldn't despite being suspended in nothingness; it felt as condensed as set jelly. But what bothered me more was that it avoided my question entirely. _

'_No… failure is not an option… Jehovah can't-will not do anything and it has fallen to me?' I didn't expect an answer, there was no need for one after all because Jehovah was without His Heart and would show little remorse to the destruction of His own creation…_

_That was it I suppose but how wrong I was when I slowly slipped further down into the depths of my consciousness almost instinctively. I couldn't help but wonder where I was heading this time before a light opened up before me. _

'_I suppose I can trust you to some extent,' a voice… a very familiar voice as the light focused on a man I instantly recognized as Komui. He was in his usual messy office with Lenalee and even Choaji, now sporting a large bandage where Eve had hit him. _

_Wait! What the hell was I doing here? This wasn't right… nope definitely not right._

'_Honestly, you should have woke me sooner, Supervisor,' Eve! I couldn't see her but I knew she was there… oh… I remembered now, we shared the same sub-conscious to the point we can see and hear what the other is doing even if we were miles apart!_

'_There was still no need to hit Choaji so hard!' I almost laughed at Lenalee's irritation as her face reddened slightly with rage. Eve would most likely not even care because her actions would… normally… benefit only her and no one else. _

'_I told you that it was between her and I, interference will not be tolerated,' I rolled my eyes; Eve was as predictable to me as I was to her. _

_I couldn't help but snicker… we were twins after all._

'_Enough Lenalee,' came Komui's voice but I couldn't help but notice has quiet Eve had gotten. _

'_As expected, she came…' Shit! I was discovered when I hadn't meant to invade her mind. Being discovered meant I couldn't stay for long so I decided to return but with an unwanted worry clouding my head… _

_Eve had gone to the Order and it meant that things had inevitably been recreated exactly like the war almost forgotten by time itself… I knew for certain that this wasn't good at all._

….

I woke up to find myself lying on a bed, a queen-sized bed. But for the most part… this wasn't even my room. How I could tell? Well seeing a black cat staring down at me from the top end of the bed.

'Uh… nice seeing you Lulubell,' I croaked as I sat up and the cat jumped next to me, it's golden eyes as unreadable as ever… I sighed; I will never understand what went on in the mind of the Noah of Lust.

Seeing as she wasn't going to speak anytime soon I spoke instead.

'Where's Adam?' and I swear I saw that cat frown!

'Master left to attend to several matters,' I glanced away solemnly; she would be either speaking of creating akuma or advancing his alliance unbeknownst to the people he tricked.

However, this time my worry remained solely on Eve, I hadn't seen her in a very long time but I knew she had changed… desperate maybe but she was most definitely different.

I shivered at the thought as I slipped from the covers of the bed and began to leave the room.

'Master said to remind you not to take any unnecessary risks,' I paused before glancing over my shoulder… I should have known he'd leave something like that behind.

'I'm aware of that Lulubell, but Eve is clearly more determined to achieve her goals than ever before…' I just hoped that she was still unaware of the Fourteenth Noah. The instability of the young Noah could bring about our end it we were not careful… but Allen…

I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand till I felt that unbearable pain that forced you to uncurl.

Damnit! I couldn't allow Eve to use Allen against us; with his weak mind and darkness clouding his heart… his judgment might be naught just like the events, three decades ago!

I quickly left the room before Lulubell could say anything else, I knew now that I had to stop Eve… but why and most importantly, how?

'… _**I will claim your memories and become complete!' **_

She had said that but still… Argh, why am I not thinking clearly? My mind was clouded while my heart clearly ached. This… I didn't want this, seeing the war from both angles now, it just wasn't worth it…

I had to somehow stop this before the time of destruction began.

….

***Sigh* Finally got this chapter done and everything… might sound confusing now but I'm hoping to clear this later on, don't want to give everything away just yet! **

**Please REVIEW! C:**


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One:

The table was silent but everyone was present minus Road and even Bookman just behind me against the far wall. It was safer that way since Sheryl hadn't gotten over the fact that I had requested his freedom from the Earl.

But then again he couldn't do anything about it.

Apart from Allen, I never thought that Eve was capable of such anomalies. In fact we are almost one-third short of akuma since her awakening and it was beginning to show in Adam.

The tension at the table was nerve-wracking and even Jasdevi and Raasura didn't get into their usual food fight. I couldn't even bare to look at Adam, the cold expression was as cold as the Antarctic.

'The Order have gained quite a powerful ally and a guaranteed nuisance,' the Earl finally spoke; I flinched because I knew whom he was talking about.

'Shouldn't we focus on the Fourteenth?' Sheryl spoke up from his end of the table as some of the Noahs murmured in agreement.

'True but at the moment he hasn't fully awakened and the host hasn't tried anything so for now we'll put that aside,' I said softly yet I knew everyone in the room heard this.

Sheryl frowned at me; I knew he never liked me since I arrived back from Allen's breakout and not Road. But he still didn't say anything unless he wanted to infuriate Adam further.

'Eve has awakened from her 7000 year slumber but according to Lilith, she is unaware of where the Heart is,'

'Who's Eve?' Even Wisely seemed confused, did thousands of years cause the memories in the Noah to weaken… no I suppose Adam never brought it up with them, I hope.

'She's my twin but my exact opposite; when I was killed she fell into slumber 7000 years ago. With both sides not knowing the true location of the Heart we still have an advantage,' my words seemed to bring chills to the Noah but none of them had time to rebuke as Adam intervened quickly.

'Hence, we need to create more akuma and continue our search for the Heart,'

'But wouldn't that fucking Apocryphos know the location?' Devit asked seemingly furious about the change of plans. But changing plans preserved our advance without completely destroying it.

'No, each innocence carries a fraction of the Heart's power and with the exorcists growing stronger there is a chance that Apocryphos is having trouble identifying where it is,' I deadpanned as I glared across the table to Devit who just grew silent again.

'But didn't we identify two potential accommodators?' I flickered my gaze to Sheryl who I believed was being a smart-ass.

'I was close with both but even so I doubt it, the Heart is a holy, godly substance, pure and divine. The likelihood that they are the accommodator is slim to me,' I was being frank but despite this they still doubted my answers.

'Either way, none of you are to make contact with Eve except for Lilith,' I glanced at Adam but didn't say anything because I was fully aware of her powers and their consequences.

'Why my Lord?' Tyki asked from his position a few chairs away.

'Eve is a devious person and her ability can only be counteracted by Lilith's 'Erase','

'But because of this she can counteract my own with her ability of 'Law', which is similar yet different to my erase,' I was hoping I didn't confuse them but a few frowns just confirmed it.

Well I was trying to help but we were twins and very powerful indeed.

'Hmm, saying it like that would mean leaving Lilith alone to fight this Eve,' I glanced at the tablecloth knowing fully well that that would be the end result. But I didn't want it, Eve was my sister and I just wanted us to return home and right the wrongs that have been done… Deep down I knew my wish was impossible.

'Even so, I do not want to put this on her…' I blinked out of my thoughts and stared at Adam. I hadn't known that my death thousands of years ago had this type of affect on the Earl, it made me frightened it even go ahead with this whole ordeal.

….

Adam had dismissed us after several moment of not talking after those words. It baffled and scared me but even so he knew it was unavoidable. But even so…

I sighed, not wanting to dwell on the thought a moment longer and walked back to my room on the Black Ark. It was more or less spacious than back in Kyoto but it was dim and a much welcoming place for when one wanted to seek a peaceful solitude.

My hand ghosted across the back of the chair before I decided to pull it out and sit on it at the table. I had to make my own move soon but it had to be a smart one. It was then that my thoughts fell on Allen and more specifically, the Fourteenth.

Adam wasn't completely clear with me of the events that happened a decade ago and it would not be long until Eve learns about it. Heck, she might even know now and I couldn't let that happen.

For all I understood, this new Noah was a rogue but also something close to a newborn and children pick up habits from those around them. That's what I had been thinking since I had required my full memory as Noah of Memories.

I stood up finally with my mind made up and hurriedly got dress before walking out of the room. To my surprise, Bookman seemed to be patiently waiting outside with a soft scowl creasing his old features.

'Where are you going, Lilith?' I almost growled when Bookman asked this but I was expecting something like this sooner or later.

'I thought that it would be obvious but I guess not, besides what are you doing standing outside my door,' I asked in returned causing him to frown further. I could tell something was bothering him but I doubt he was going to speak of it clearly.

'What I've heard so far doesn't make sense, there has been no mentioning of Eve within the Bookman records,' Oh so that's why he was so concerned about.

'Well I might tell you but I have something I have to do first,' I spoke coolly as I walked past him before stopping and turning around.

'How about tagging along and finding out?'

Bookman didn't seem to show anything other then his usual silent composure and just followed me. I led him through the nearest gate leading outside the Ark and to a place that was somewhere on the border of Russia and Mongolia.

It was about then that I paused once more and glanced over my shoulder.

'According to the latest report, Allen Walker was sighted around Russia,' this seemed to catch Bookman's interest; his eyes glinted slightly while his face was like stone.

'How are you suppose to find him, Allen trained under General Cross and I wouldn't be surprised if he learnt anything about running away.' Bookman made a strong point as I recalled that redheaded womanizer. He was so called killed but thinking back, the circumstances began pointing to Apocryphos again… must be dreaming…

'Akuma report regularly, since the Earl also wants to keep track of Apocryphos' movements as well as the Musician,' I retorted looking out from the alleyway the gate had taken us to. Bookman went silent after that but I didn't pay too much attention to that.

All I wanted to do was begin my own search of Allen before Eve or the Black Order caught up with him first.

The minutes soon turned to hours and we decided to head to an inn before both of us froze from the now falling snow! The inn we chose was further out of town just off a dirt road heading for another town miles away.

It was quaint but the warm atmosphere was most welcoming as we entered and I rented two rooms for us. I accepted the keys and turned to Bookman only to notice that his gaze was at the other side of the room.

'What?' I asked but Bookman ignored me so I followed his gaze to one of the booths furthest from the door. I was surprised to find rather irritated samurai glaring daggers at the chair in front of him.

I couldn't help but smile as I made my way slowly towards the table. Thought I had to keep an eye out just in case Kanda spotted me and decided to attack, which I wouldn't put past him to do.

But at least I made it to the table without much difficulty… I think…

'What do you want?' Kanda flickered his gaze to me but it seemed like a reluctant gesture as I gazed at Johnny and then to the person beside him.

Allen seemed slightly out of it but it would be expected of someone fighting Noah's memory. His white hair slightly longer than what it used to be but it just made him look mature.

'I came back like I said Kanda,' I spoke softly but Allen must have noticed as he glanced at me with his silver eyes and then on Bookman.

'Bookman, you're okay?' Those were his first words I had heard him after months from not seeing him but I was a little sad. Was he ignoring me because I sided with Adam?

I hoped not but even so, he hadn't liked me denying his offer to go with him.

'I'm doing well thanks to her,' Bookman sounded formal when he spoke but Allen just smiled with relief and I just let it slide. Allen then looked at me with a frown, which made me uneasy.

'Allen things are going to take a drastic turn in this war and even you cannot avoid it,' not what I had wanted to say after so long but even so, my worry overwhelmed my desire for a casual reunion.

'I will not join the Noah…' I cut him off quickly.

'That's is not what I meant… my sister has awakened after 7000 years of slumber and it will be a matter of time till she finds out about you,' what meant my words was an air of confusion, at least not from Bookman but from the three young men in front of me.

'But I thought Apocryphos….'

'Shut up idiot!' Kanda hissed at Johnny and it was then that I noticed that Kanda was keeping the time he had met me a secret from Allen.

Secrets…

I felt my mood darken at the word because there had just been too many and I could see the rifts they were causing.

'I've had enough of secrets,' I whispered my thoughts before gazing up and smiled despite the sorrow in my heart.

'I came to learn the truth but Allen, you might not like this but I'd like to speak with Nea, please?'

….

**A/N**

**Got the chapter up finally, hope I didn't keep any of you wanting (which I probably did but anyway…)**

**Hope you enjoyed it and please leave a REVIEW! I want to beat my previous record of 63 reviews! C:**


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two:

By the look on Allen's face, he was absolutely horrified that I even made such a suggestion. But it didn't last long until his head was shaking from side to side and his brows knitted in an unmistakable frown.

'Are you insane? I've spent months holding the Fourteenth back and you want to meet him!' I sighed helplessly at Allen while placing my hands on his shoulders. He stiffened at the touch but I forced him to look me in the eye.

'Do not underestimate me, Allen Walker, I am fully aware of your stubbornness…' I couldn't help but chuckle.

'Even Adam made that obvious to me about it, but all I'm going to do is slip into the depths of your consciousness where Nea resides. It won't bring him to the surface,' Allen seemed baffled but was still doubting me by the way his silver eyes quivered.

'And why would we believe you?' Kanda snarled as Johnny held a protective stance near Allen… oh bother, this was going to be much harder than I thought.

'I'm the Noah of Memories and part of that allows me to converge with the memories within a person. Allen it will do you no harm, I'm sure you even met Nea in the part of your consciousness he controls,' The alarm in Allen's eyes told me that I had said something rather personal but I didn't push him further as I remained beside the booth with Bookman behind me.

I could see the hesitation as he looked at his friends sitting around him. I suddenly felt that I might have intervened too early because I heaved a sigh and went to leave.

'Wait…' I paused and glanced at Allen over my shoulder.

'If what you said is true then I'll still be in control, right?' I rolled my eyes and smiled.

'Of course Allen, when have I ever lied to you but we need to go into a room to do this,'

….

We headed to one of the rooms I had booked; Allen was close behind with Kanda, Johnny and Bookman. I directed Allen to one of the chairs beside the table.

'Okay Allen I need you to go to sleep or else I can't reach your subconscious,' I said as Allen just stared at me.

'You're kidding right? I can't sleep on demand,' I grizzled at this complication as I turned to the other men in the room.

'Do any of you have a pocket watch or something?' Much to my luck, Johnny retrieved one from his coat pocket and handed it to me. I muttered a quick thank you before turning back to Allen, dangling the watch in front of him.

'If you can't sleep, I'll just have to hypnotize you,' I began swinging the watch from side to side; Allen's silvery eyes began to follow the movement.

'Now match your breathing to the swing of the watch. Do not do this too quickly and just feel yourself slowly relax,' I spoke softly to Allen.

'Are you sure you know what you're doing?' I shot a glare at Bookman who spoke and ordered him to be silent before looking back at Allen. It seemed to be working by the way his body began to loosen and his head began to droop.

I stopped the watch then and turned to the others.

'I want you three to keep a look out for trouble, if the Order show up then wake me and not Allen, I'll take care of him,' Bookman and Johnny nodded but Kanda just 'che' and snapped his head to the side. I ignored him and knelt beside Allen gripping his hand gently in my own.

I took a deep breath and delved into the depths of his mind…

….

_What met me were darkness and a whole heck of it, this was insane. My consciousness floating about in another… hadn't done this in a very long time but I had to quicken my search before trouble turned up. _

_Sinking further into Allen's conscious, his memories aimlessly floated about me. It was queer to see so few in my opinion. But I wasn't one to talk; I had once been an empty shell before filling them with memories of the Order before meeting my sister again. _

_It soon got to the point where I had trouble traveling through his subconscious. A swirl of eerie fog seemed to send shivers through me that were not the least pleasant. This was indeed strange and I couldn't help but not feel like something wasn't right here. _

'_**Nea use me, I'll keep your memories safe until you awaken again!'**_

_Huh? I blinked but still the haze was an absolute nuisance… no, I was not here to look into his memories! _

_I finally seemed to sink to the layer I was looking for, my feet seemingly finding something solid to stand on. _

'_If it isn't the fabled Noah of Memories…' _

_I whipped my head around just in time to see a shadow slip from my sight. But I wasn't the least frightened as I snickered._

'_Fabled? At least I'm not some sort of troublemaker who causes grief to his family,' _

'_They are NOT my family,' a young man stepped out of the shadows. He wore a long tanned coat, vest, dress shirt and pants. His hair was dark and wildly tangled; he almost looked like a younger version of Tyki. _

'_Don't be like that, Nea, Adam truly misses you,' I quietly teased as his glared was as cold as stone and hatred gleamed in those golden eyes. _

'_The old fool can go die for all I care!' _

_I frowned at him rage growing steadily inside me._

'_I truly take offense to that, Nea,' _

'_Says the person interfering in my domain!'_

'_I'm looking for answers, one's which Adam will not give,' I snapped causing him to look slightly taken back. _

'_I don't give a single fuck about you're hatred of Adam but speak of it to me and I will guarantee that you will not awaken in Allen!' _

_Well that silenced him as I took a deep breath. Nea also seemed to relax as well as a chair appeared out of nowhere behind him and he took a seat. _

'_Fine then, I'll give you answers as long as you give me yours, one question at a time,' I stared at him, it was a fairly even exchange but what worried me was the questions he might ask me. _

'_Lady's first,' I huffed my cheeks when he spoke such a gentleman line but I didn't lose the opportunity. _

'_Why did you fight the Earl thirty years ago?' _

_Nea's sheen of a smile dropped and was replaced with something close to hatred and mixed with concern. _

'_I… had an older brother but the Earl never seemed to like my closeness to him. Then Mana went and did something the Earl hated and it gave him a reason to try and kill him.' _

'_I still see no reason as to why you killed almost all the family members,' I commented coldly as Nea frowned before continuing. _

'_No it isn't, but do you know how it feels to not know your place in that Clan… you wouldn't because I was constantly reminded about how I didn't fit in anything. That I was an accident,' I could see the frustration rising in the young Noah and couldn't help but softly smile. He really is a newborn…_

'_But Adam didn't believe that did he?' _

'_He was an idiot, a puppet being used… so I tried to kill him in hopes of becoming the new Millennium,' _

_I felt my smile leave and all I felt was empty and built up rage consuming my insides but I couldn't take it completely out of Nea._

'_It's impossible,' I slowly breathed the words out keeping my voice free of anything negative. _

'_What?' _

'_I'm guessing that's one of the questions you wanted to ask… about my place in the family?' Nea looked surprise but nodded anyway._

'_To put it a long story short, I created the Family of Noah,' _

_A hush silence fell between us, I was wondering why I was willing to go there in the first place but he should at least be the one informed of the truth. _

'_Their position and Memory were all created in the order I found them, from first to last and it shall remain that way,' I hoped with everything that my words wouldn't pull him further away from the truth. But Nea wasn't looking at me, not even paying attention anymore as I felt the growing presence of dark matter._

_He wouldn't…_

_A large blast of energy rocked the very consciousness that possessed it, at this rate the energy would reach the surface and Allen would be in danger. _

'_Nea don't do it!' I gathered my own power within the palm of my hand and sent it towards his distorted body. I had to try and contain the power and stop Nea from trying to overthrow Allen again. In his fragile state, it wouldn't take Nea that long to overthrow Allen._

_But I was astonished by the full strength of this Noah's capability! No wonder Adam had trouble with it decades ago. _

_I could feel Nea struggle to slip from my grip but I kept pushing on, mentally having to drag that hateful energy from Allen's hypnotized frame of mind. _

'_Remember my threat from before Nea… I can stop your resurrection in Allen!' I pressed on focusing on compacting the dark matter before I felt the violently surge slowly dissipate. _

'…_Why…?' I blinked as the distortion around Nea phased out leaving him exhausted as well. I stopped the flow of my power and released him after confirming that he was no longer a threat to Allen or me. _

'_Why? We all hold a grudge, Nea, not matter what the person is like. But your hatred shouldn't be aimed at Adam… it should be at me,' I answered in a low voice._

'_You can't tell me whom I can or cannot hate!' _

'_But it's true…' I tried to reason with the infuriated Noah._

'_Eve and I are the main reason why this bloody war began, because we interfered when we shouldn't have,' Nea froze and even I had to catch my tongue. _

'_What are you saying?' He was frowning as I became rather nervous. Honestly I said too much just now as I struggled to find the right words to say._

'_That is…' _

_A sudden shock rushed through me, it felt like I had touched a live wire and got electrocuted. _

'_Wait, Lilith!' He must have noticed a change in my appearance because I could feel someone calling out to me from far away. Could the others 'outside' be trying to wake me up? _

'_We're in danger…' I could sense it now; a growing pit of despair was somehow connecting with my current state here. It was slowly growing the longer I remained in Allen's mind. _

'_I can't stay!' I called back to Nea then began to force myself awake…_

….

I woke when my body was shaken violently and my eyes opened to meet that of Kanda. He was the one shaking me because his hands firmly gripped my shoulders.

'You finally woke up,' I growled at Kanda's comment and stood up and placed my hand on Allen's head.

'What was going on, Allen's skin turned umber suddenly,' Johnny's voice was laced with concern.

'I kind of made Nea mad because of a comment I made but I suppressed it quickly,' I quipped as I began to bring Allen back to consciousness. He was responding but relatively slowly and it worried me slightly.

'Lenalee and Lavi enter the inn just a few moments ago, I doubt we can trust the innkeeper to keep silent,' Bookman informed as he stood stiffly beside the door. I was in silent agreement there but they were unaware of the real danger lurking somewhere nearby.

'Either way, Allen needs to get out of here with the both of you,' I glanced at Kanda and a bewildered Johnny, they both looked like they didn't know what I was talking about but this was urgent.

'Is it the Earl?'

'No and if there were any akuma around, I'd have summoned them here by now!' I hissed as Allen's eyes finally fluttered open.

'Thank goodness,' I breathed before grabbing Allen's hand and pulling him to his feet.

'W-what's going on?' Allen stammered as I dragged him to the door. I carefully opened the door and made sure that the coast was clear.

'What the fuck is going on here?' Kanda grumbled but I glared at him as I led them down the opposite hallway and away from the entrance.

'This place is no longer safe and I don't want Allen to meet Eve,' I rasped as we began going down the back steps. I hoped that they, especially Allen, could get away before she actually turned up.

'Hold it right there!' I felt a harsh wind collide into my side and send me sprawling through the snow. Shaking the snow from my cloak I glared at the only person capable of such a wind.

'Lenalee…' I stood up just as I jumped away when a large hammer came down. Lavi was there too and they were probably hoping for a surprise attack. From my displacement away from Allen, I was a good seven to ten meters away from him as Lenalee turned her attention on Allen.

'Allen, don't worry we're here to escort you home,' she said her voice filled with happiness but I just felt sickened by her words.

'Are you kidding me? How long are you going to stay in that childish frame of mind Lenalee Lee?' I retorted before repelling another attack from Lavi and I rejoined them. Lenalee was glaring at me now, something I was used to as she landed on the ground in front of us.

'You're the devil that caused Allen to leave his family…'

'It was Allen's choice to leave the Black Order!' I shouted back…

'Well, well, well, I seemed to have stumbled over a party~!'

I suddenly went rigid.

….

**Hi guys finally got this chapter up for you and I'll begin the next one as soon as I can!**

**Hope you enjoy and please leave a REVIEW!**


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter Forty-Three:

'Eve!' I spun around and looked to the roof of the building. She was there perched and with her legs crossed, her eyes glinting with that sinister glow I've begun to hate.

'So that is the rogue Noah I've been hearing about?' She dropped from the roof and landed lightly on the snow. I stood protectively in front of Allen merely to keep her from trying to do anything that might harm Allen in anyway.

'What are you doing here Eve?' I chided as she paused and began to flare with rage.

'I just wanted to see my sister. I couldn't tell where you were since you were on that stupid Ark,' I just snickered.

'That would be because the Ark exists in a different dimension,' Then I glanced behind at Allen.

'Open a gate and take Kanda and Johnny with you, I doubt she's only here for me,' my voice was low but I knew he heard every word I said. Allen frowned and I could clearly see the confusion on his face.

'What about Lenalee and Lavi?' I audibly groaned as Allen mentioned them.

'Forget about them, they're safe since they still work for the Order, just worry about your wellbeing!' Allen reluctantly nodded and closed his eyes. Eve must have caught the action because I barely noticed her lunge towards me.

'I won't let either of you get away!' I summoned my sword and swiped at her wildly as she bounced back with her own sword in hand. But it wasn't long until she tried again, propelling herself through the snowdrifts and straight towards me.

Eve went for an upper cut but I quickly sidestepped it, getting past the blade and hit the hilt of my sword against her right arm. She gasped but quickly reworked her footwork and I narrowly avoided a helm splitter.

Her blade barely nicked the surface of my stomach when I stepped back to avoid the blow. I could feel the warmth escaping my body through the shallow wound as the blood soaked into my dress.

'What's wrong Lilith? You're losing your touch,' she was mocking me, I knew that but I couldn't help but think that she might be right. However, I also knew that I wasn't the only one who was rusty.

'You're wrong Eve,' I said sternly as our swords clashed and an enduring struggle began. We each tried to push the other away or unbalance them but it ended up with me getting slowly overpowered. I could feel it as my knees buckled underneath me.

Eve just smirked before she threw me back and I crashed into a nearby tree. It really hurt, I admit that but I still wasn't going to let Eve win this fight. I weakly stood up clasping at the icy trunk of the tree to support me. However I didn't gain much ground as Eve suddenly came at me and buried her sword into my shoulder.

'Poor little sister~ I hope that hurt badly, but I will take your memories now,' I watched as Eve slowly raised her hand towards my forehead.

'NO!' A white blur crashed into Eve's side, her surprise didn't go unmissed by me as she was flung a great distance from us. I easily recognized the white hair and red scar that belong to one individual.

'Allen, I told you to run,' I shouted at him but he just frowned at me.

'I can't run when a friend's in danger,' Allen's silver eyes soon fell on Eve's sword still implanted in my right shoulder.

'Don't Allen, only Eve can wield her own sword!' But being the idiot he was, he didn't listen to me and grabbed the hilt. The flash of pain soon registered in his face as I felt the sword being wrenched out of my shoulder.

He flung the sword away quickly like it was burning hot embers. I was beside him quickly analyzing the burns peeling away on his right hand.

'You idiot! I told you not to touch it,' I laced my cool hand over his hot one hoping to relieve the pain as much as I could.

'You bastard!' I blinked as I turned in the direction of the irritated voice. Eve was emerging from the snow her face tinged red with anger. I stood protectively in front of Allen as she came forward her hand glowing a brilliant white light. But her progress was halted by the intrusion of a wickedly pointed candle. Eve then threw a tedious glare at the person who had dared interfere, her lips pulled back into a snarl.

'Ninth!' She hissed and though Allen was slightly puzzled but I knew exactly whom she was talking about. I spun around just in time to see Road running towards us but I knew she was just worried about Allen.

'Who is she, Lilith?' Road said to me as I kept a firm gaze on Eve. She was cautiously watching us in turn as she went to retrieve her sword.

'I'll explain later Road, just get Allen to fucking leave,' the idiot doesn't know what Nea does and I couldn't trust Neah to even say anything to Allen. They may currently share the same body but they were as stubborn as a bull… the both of them!

Road frowned at me before turning to Allen.

At least I didn't have to worry about him anymore because if I knew Road from previous encounters, she is infatuated with Allen.

I soon turned my attention back to Eve whom seemed more irritated than before but I had never known her to be this… patient? I frowned when I single thought flashed across my mind.

What was making her this impatient?

Soon I was alerted to an unwanted presence coming from my left and I quickly took a step back. Lenalee landed before me as she once again went for my head. I dodged to her left and ended up behind her.

Lenalee seemed to realize that she had left me an obvious opening and I struck her mercilessly at the base of her neck. My blow was strong enough to render her of consciousness as her body crumpled onto the snow.

'Lenalee!' I heard Lavi distinguished cry but he was stopped short of coming anywhere near me. Bookman was the one to stop him. Lavi's emerald eye wavered with hesitation, he wasn't even sure of what he would do.

I glanced around and saw Kanda still standing by the back entrance with Johnny beside him. The samurai hadn't more or felt like he wasn't needed yet and I knew it would be better if it stayed that way.

'Fine I'll go,' I blinked in surprise and turned to see Allen standing a fair distance from me with Road wearing a satisfied grin. His eyes quivered and I knew he still wasn't completely okay with this as the White Ark gate appeared behind him.

'NO I won't let you!' I turned to see Eve as she raised her hands above her head and summoned a large orb of light. I knew this wasn't good as I held my hands in front of me forming a large shield but even that wasn't going to be enough.

'Road, lend me your power now,' Luckily Road didn't argue as she rushed to my side and mingled her dark matter within the shield and strengthening it just in time as Eve released it.

We both feel the force as the orb hit the shield, the sound was deafening but I couldn't cover my ears unless I lost the shield. I could tell Road was straining but Road was stubborn and she held on as the power died down.

To our surprise when the snow and wind disappeared Allen wasn't there along with Johnny and Kanda. That was thankful but Eve and the two exorcists were gone too and that slightly worried me.

Though at the moment, I'll fret about it later as I sank into the snow and gripped my wounded shoulder. As long as Allen got away, it'll do for the time being.

'Mistress!' I went rigid when I recognized that voice as I whipped my head around and saw a cloaked figure coming towards me.

'Tewaku…?' The Third knelt beside me and examined my wound as I just simply sighed.

'We should return,' I murmured as Bookman nodded while Road just giggled.

'Yes, that's a nice idea,'

….

**A/N **

**Sorry for the lag but I kinda forgot this story for a bit while working on others but now I got the chapter up so yeah…**

**Anyway please leave a REVIEW!**


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